Guardian of the Sakura
by Molten-Ashes
Summary: The Sakura Forest was a forbidden place...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh or it would have Puzzleshipping!!

Please R&R

Please tell me if I get anything wrong so I can fix it!

(Don't worry I'm still writing The Devil's Halo this is just a new story that wouldn't leave me alone)

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The Sakura forest was a forbidden place.

The village of Domino had an unwritten law that no human was ever allowed to enter. Sakura trees grew wild and thick on the right side of the village, and a fresh water river ran through it supplying the trees with life.

Every year the trees would blossom on the first day of spring for three quarters of the year only dropping their petals in winter. Elders of the village said the Sakura Spirit lived within the forest. Legends of a creature dancing in a clearing, through sunbeams that made it glow with serene beauty. No person had ever glimpsed its face for the creature would dissolve into petals on the wind if startled from its dance; the trees always warned their master of approaching mortals.

So it was unusual that the trees whispered of a harmless basket floating down stream. The River Spirit making the journey soft for whatever lay inside. The Sakura Spirit ceased its dance a kimono of pink and red with petals embroidered in gold upon a slender frame, pale porcelain skin creased into a delicate frown as the immortal made its way over to the now stranded basket. The River Spirit was curious and rose from the shallow depths brown eyes locked with amethyst ones both immortals looking mildly confused at the mortal made object. A third Spirit, the spirit of Wind joined their observation, lavender eyes shining with a similar curiosity.

"Is it an offering?" the Wind Spirit blurted, blond hair dancing in the ever present gale that he was, his sudden speech unwittingly scaring the Sakura Spirit as the guardian of the trees reached out to touch the woven basket.

"It felt heavy on my water" replied the Water Spirit coming closer white hair like the troth of waves falling forward so that the spirit had to wet the tresses to make them stay back, before he sighed. "It's way too heavy to be the usual stuff, and why send it down my river? Why not leave it at the shrines?"

The wise Sakura spirit stayed silent, he quietly looked about before running a hand through his tri-coloured hair. Blond bangs making up the front, ebony tresses making up a star shape on his head then the edges seemingly dipped in crimson. "Let us open it and then decide" he said softly lifting a hand.

A tree root rushed to obey flexing up from the earth becoming a table as another picked up the basket and set it on the root. The second root became a chair as the Sakura Spirit approached and gracefully sat down, his peers also coming over. The Wind Spirit hovered in air and the Water Spirit fashioned legs from his river water and then sat on a small water chair wearing robes of silver and blue.

"If you would do the honours" said the Wind Spirit indicating the top of the woven basket, robes of grey and white ruffling as an ever present wind hassled the clothing.

The Sakura Spirit smiled and pulled away the lid. Small sniffles and a warbling cry greeted the three spirits making them all jump back in surprise. On reflex a gale of harsh wind erupted from the Wind Spirit, the winds keen to blast away the threat to their master, same for the wall of water that placed itself between the Water Spirit and the basket. The Sakura Spirit blocked the gale aimed for the basket commanding a storm of Sakura petals with a flick of his white wrist the large kimono sleeve flaring wide as thousands of petals erupted out to shield whatever creatures lay in the basket.

Once the Spirits had calmed they peered over the threshold of the woven basket, gaping at what they saw.

Three children lay in the basket. All were wrapped in a different bundle. Two of the children were fussing and fighting, the third stared up at them with bright crimson eyes.

Not really thinking of the consequences the Sakura Spirit, reached in and touched the baby with the crimson eyes on the cheek. It was soft to the touch, the Sakura Spirit noted, his fingers then travelled to the Childs downy hair, so much like his own.

The baby gurgled at the attention somehow untangling his chubby little arms and gripping the solid Spirits hand. The Sakura Spirit smiled and lifted the child out cradling the baby like a mother would.

"Mortals?" the Wind Spirit asked prodding the bundle with a blond child inside before picking it up by the wrappings, giving a squawk of surprise when the bundle rolled and he had to catch the infant mortal as it came free. The baby just giggled as the Wind Spirit glared at him clapping its small hands in apparent delight.

"What do we do with them?" asked the Water Spirit wincing as the baby he examined yanked his long white hair

The Sakura Spirit gazed lovingly down at the infant in his arms "keep them" he said as the child yawned before cherubic crimson eyes closed

"You can't be serious" cried the Water Spirit looking panicked "I say we just send them back up the river!"

The Wind spirit nodded frantically placing the baby he held back in the basket alongside the Albino one. The Sakura Spirit looked suddenly sad before he stroked the Childs cheek again before placing the baby back in the basket "I'm sorry little one" he cooed as the small mortal began to fuss at the loss of warmth. He looked up at the two other spirits "Okay get rid of them" he said sitting on his chair of roots again.

The Water Spirit suddenly looked unsure as he set the basket back in the river. "Don't forget the top" called the Sakura Spirit. The Wind Spirit looked a little unsure now as well as he hovered over the water looking at the babies. All three gazed up at the two spirits innocently.

The Water and Wind Spirits resolve crumbled.

"Here, take him" they both said handing over the crimson eyed baby to the smiling Sakura Spirit who watched them smugly as they fished out their respective baby from the basket.

"May I enquire their names?" asked the Sakura spirit cheerfully as he cradled his mortal turning to leave.

"Bakura" said the Water Spirit as he held the child close to him

"Marik" grumbled the Wind Spirit "What's your one called?"

The Sakura spirit glanced down at his mortal and smiled softly "I think I'll call him... Yami"


	2. The beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R

(Sorry for any mistakes that appear!)

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Five years later...

The morning rays lanced through the trees. Birds began to sing in the morning and animals awakened to start the day. A small deer trotted past a gargantuan Sakura tree. This was the mother tree, the birthplace of the forest. The fawn browsed the ground cropping the grass at the edges of the ancient roots. A sudden yell caused the fawn to bolt away into the rays of sunlight.

A boy no more than five years of age scrambled down the tree laughing as a soft voice from above him scolded "That wasn't nice Yami"

The boy stopped at the bottom of the tree looking about him waiting for his guardian. He was surprised however when the Sakura Spirit suddenly appeared in front of him the last petals falling into place as he re-materialised. "What did I tell you about scaring the deer?"

"They have every right to be there because Kami wanted them to be here" recited Yami puffing up his chest proudly that he had remembered the Sakura Spirits teaching. "Can we go now Mama?"

The Spirit smiled but not before pulling out an intricate porcelain mask and offering it to the small child. Yami looked crest fallen but accepted the white mask. Despite it being beautiful, and in the shape of a tiger's face the only hint of colour was the black stripes and the orange hints along the crafted edges, Yami hated the mask. "I don't want to wear it today!" he huffed even as the Sakura Spirit helped to fasten it on.

"Bakura and Marik wear them" replied the Spirit calmly ruffling his mortal's hair fondly "Now off you go, I have to meet up with the Forge Spirit today"

Yami nodded his head and ran off into the trees towards the clearing that he had been found in many years ago. The Sakura Spirit quietly waited and a deer came to stand beside him, it was a large proud stag with twelve tines branching above his head, a small fawn stood beside its mother as the female also came and stood beside him. "Will you watch over them?" the Sakura spirit asked putting on his formal white Porcelain mask, the serene expression on the mask had fooled many a foolish mortal that had tried to come into his forest to reap the bounties of the grove of fruit trees and wild vegetables that just lay behind the mother tree.

The Royal deer bowed to the Spirit as he mounted a younger stag that came to his small gesture. The spirit was carried off in the opposite direction by the young stag towards the fire mountain that started just beyond the forest.

The stag stamped his cloven hoof before trotting off in the same direction as the troublesome mortal boy that the master had decided to adopt.

His fawn galloped ahead and straight into the clearing tackling Yami with a sloppy lick to the white mask. The five year old smiled cuddling his animal friend before they met up with Bakura and Marik both boys lounging by the river.

"Hi guys!" cried Yami plonking himself down on the grassy bank. His young crimson eyes spotting Bakura's animal friend, a large Koi fish and Marik's hawk that watched from the other side. "What are we doing today?"

Bakura turned to him his own white mask resembling a cat much like his own though it had spots instead. The Water Spirit's mortal sighed "I don't know but I'm bored, I want to see the shrines, but papa said that it's too dangerous."

"Danger is our middle name" Yami denied "Remember when we climbed Mama Tree without Mama watching?"

"The Mama Tree is where you live stupid" Marik replied as all three boys slouched back to gaze at the clouds they could see floating past the clearing. "Fluffy horse" he commented pointing at the sheep shaped cloud that soared high above "You see them in the farmer field at the edge of the forest"

Yami scanned the sky watching the birds dance before he spotted a cloud that looked like a tree "Tree" he supplied as Bakura pointed out a fish shaped one straight after.

The three children were startled out of their cloud watching as they heard dulled thunder in the distance. They all looked to the east where they saw deer like animals carrying odd creatures. The antlerless deer stopped before them, the shining armoured creature on top levelling a long metal pole at them. "Demons!" came the voice from where Yami presumed there was a mouth. Several other antlerless deer came forward snorting and whinnying. The children's animal friends gave cries of fear before bolting away.

"They look like boys commander" said another one as the three boys huddled together terrified of the unusual things.

"Only the Spirits wear masks like that, this must be their hell spawn" spat the man dismounting their creatures and stalking forward, metal pole held way out in front. It brushed against Yami's throat, the metal was cold, and it hurt.

His tears dripped down past the mask as the blade was taken away, a small welt of his blood upon its surface. Suddenly an inhuman shriek erupted from the sky as the Wind Spirit landed in a flurry of gales and robes. His mask was pulled over his face, in a studding hawk shape "You dare enter our forest?!" the Wind Spirit shrieked forcing the men back "you dare threaten our children of the forest?"

The River rose up as the Water Spirit joined the Wind Spirit in defence of the boys, splitting the river and letting the boy's cross to the other side safely. Water swirled as the Spirit let its rage be known.

Suddenly the trees groaned in the wind, roots lancing up and trapping the two men as they tried to run away, growing giant thorns to still their thrashing. Sakura petals whispered on the wind as the Sakura Spirit made itself known appearing in a column of the pink petals, a blade held in his hands. "Water Spirit" said the Sakura pointing his sharp katana blade at his captives, the serene smile on his mask terrifying the men. "Take the children away from here; they may not see our judgement"

Before the children could protest they were encased in water and were suddenly at the Mother Tree. "Stay here little ones" whispered the Water Spirit soothing them as they cried in fear.

"Mama!" cried Yami as the Sakura Spirit re-appeared; the sword that had been strapped to his hip had disappeared. The boy ran to its guardian and cried into the soft kimono. "Mama!" he whimpered again as the hug was returned.

"Hush little Yami its safe now" cooed the Tree Spirit and with one touch to the small cut on Yami's throat it healed.

Once he safely had Yami asleep, the Sakura Spirit walked through the forest, the Wind Spirit appearing to keep in step, both without their masks. They stopped at the river where the Water Spirit rose to greet them

"The humans are losing faith in us Yugi" said the Water Spirit sadly, using the Sakura Spirit's true name

"It is the nature of them, Ryou" replied 'Yugi' as he sat down "But to threaten my mortal..." the trees branches moved growing perilous thorns at their masters anger.

"It was a good thing you cast that spell on them when they were babies Yugi. So we can sense when they are in trouble" the Wind Spirit provided

Yugi looked distressed "But I nearly didn't get here in time, Malik..."

"But the fact is that you did get there to save him, Yami won't grudge you that" Ryou smiled

Yugi's eyes hardened as he stood up "I have an idea, it's a long shot but it might just work"

Malik and Ryou looked up at him clearly interested "Let's train them in the ways of the Sword..."


	3. The wheel turns

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R

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Thirteen years later...

The Sakura Spirit leaned against the tree from the branch he was perched on. He was sitting in his usual spot on the Mother Tree, whose branches were spread wide to allow him to bask in the sun. His porcelain mask was drawn back holding his hair down making it look as if he had a second face upon his head.

His young features were open to the sky as he read a book the Forge Spirit had stolen from an unwary traveller and given to him as a token of his 'affection' so the other Spirit had said. The Sakura Spirit didn't trust him on that matter as far as he could throw the giant volcano Spirit which due to his own element and petite size wouldn't be very far.

The subtle rustle of the branch behind him made him sigh "Don't you dare Yami"

A frustrated groan came from the teen's mouth as he made his appearance. He was clad in a dark navy blue uniform like outfit. Silk trousers that clung to his legs and a dark blue top with red embroidery. "How'd you know it was me?" the 18 year old asked, lifting his Tiger mask from his face and clipping it to a belt at his hip.

"I'm your guardian, I know everything" Yugi replied blandly "How was Bakura and Marik today?"

The adolescent shrugged "Bakura was being a pain as ever and I swear Marik is going insane. We were finishing off our stances with Malik today and he said we were nearly ready to get taught by you"

The Sakura spirit chuckled "I'm no pushover Yami"

Yami gave him a winning smile "But you love me Yugi!"

Yugi rolled his eyes putting away his book which vanished in a flourish of Sakura petals. Yami, Bakura and Marik had taken to calling the Spirits that had raised them by their true names. For what reason Yugi never bothered to ask, but some part of him, the maternal part that he used to care for his forest mourned over the fact that he would never hear Yami's cute child's voice miscall him 'Mama' again. "True, doesn't mean to say I can't have a mean streak"

Yami pouted then shrugged "Hey Yugi? Have you ever been outside your forest?"

The Sakura Spirit gave his mortal a startled look before quickly shaking his head in a 'no' gesture "Humans don't like me Yami" Yugi said softly leaning back against the trunk and catching a wayward Sakura petal in his palm, examining the delicately curved edges of the pink petal that faded into white at the top "Well... at least not anymore" he mended letting the petal drop away past the branch onto the forest floor below. "What's brought this on?"

Yami had the decency to look sheepish "Well me and the guys were going to ask for a day trip. We just wanted to know if you all knowing Spirits had any pointers for us."

"I can't stop you Yami, you aren't twelve anymore" Yugi smirked suddenly remembering his mask was on his head and removing the antique porcelain to clip it at his belt. "You need not ask permission to be with your own kind"

"Don't say that!" Yami said sternly surprising the Sakura Spirit, his baritone voice sounding distressed "I love being here! I love being in a place where humans haven't shredded this natural wonder!"

Yugi smiled softly as Yami looked away hurt. He lifted Yami's chin with his fingers so they were looking eye to eye. Bright scarlet clashed with ancient amethyst. "You are human too Yami"

The young mortal man sighed and leaned back and away before running a hand through his hair "Will be allowed back into the forest?"

"You will always have a place here" Yugi nodded before turning the conversation "So you've nearly finished Malik's training then?"

Yami nodded immediately suspicious "What are you up to Yugi?"

Yugi smiled "then I do believe that your gift for your next level of training is in order, good thing too, the Forge Spirit helped me finish it the other day"

Yami's crimson eyes practically lit up as Yugi tapped the branch he was sitting on. The Sakura petals dislodged from the tree swirling in a vortex horizontally along Yugi's outstretched palms. They materialised into a long, but thin box. "For you" The Sakura Spirit grinned offering the box to the mortal teenager.

Yami took the box and cradled it like it was made of glass; he unhooked the clasp and then drew back the lid. Inside was an ornate Katana. The metal shone in the sun light, petals etched into the metal rippled when he examined it closely. The hilt was made of Sakura wood, and a red fabric with embroidered pink Sakura petals was wrapped around it to prevent his hands from getting blisters.

"It's beautiful" he breathed giving it a test swing. The sword sung as it moved through the air.

"Thought you'd like it" smiled the Sakura Spirit eyeing the blade "Made from Sky Metal salvaged by the Forge Spirit and I made the hilt, using the wood of the Mother Tree's fallen branch."

"So that's where that branch went" Yami said "I was looking for it so I could make a practice sword."

Yugi laughed in amusement as Yami lifted out the matching sheath. It was a shiny black with red tribal designs "I'd better get some bandages" smirked Yugi as Yami ran a finger along the sharp edge.

"Against you? Nahhh" Yami grinned as he sheathed the crafted sword.

Yugi raised an eyebrow "Oh really now? What makes you think I'm a pushover?"

"No offense meant but you are old Yugi" Yami teased back before surprising the ancient Spirit with a bear hug "But I wouldn't have you any other way"

Yugi rolled his eyes materialising his own Katana "I'll show you a thing or two boy, being old has its advantage you know"

Both were down in the clearing that housed the Mother Tree in seconds facing off against each other.


	4. The Petals begin to fall

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R!

(apologies for any misktakes)

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The days that followed saw Bakura and Marik receive their own gifts from their respective guardian. Bakura was given Coral Daggers, the 'blades' made from melted down sharks teeth using what Ryou called the underwater furnace. Things at the bottom of the ocean that leaked out boiling material. The hilt was made from sturdy coral.

Marik's gift was a finely crafted bow and a bag of arrows. The wood of the bow and arrows were Sakura wood taken from a different Sakura forest to the south where the Guardian spirit their owed him a favour.

Slowly things began to deteriorate in the forest. Gradually the birds only flew near the opposite end away from the village, and animals never strayed past the Mother Tree as frequently as in the past. In the distance they would sometimes hear the creak and groan of wood and the shouting of mortals. Ryou was the first to notice something was changing just beyond the forest. His river was becoming murky, the fish all swimming away downstream to the sea. Even Bakura's animal friend left, keen to escape the suffocating carnage that floated down through the forest, in response Ryou himself swam up river, something he had not done since the first settlers had arrived and had come back sporting a wound on his shoulder.

"They tried to spear me" the Water Spirit croaked sounding mortified "In my fish form, aren't the Koi fish not sacred to them?"

Yami had called Yugi to the scene, Malik arriving in the Sakura Spirits shadow. "They pollute my air with foul smelling smoke" growled the Wind Spirit "What happened to the nice smelling incense and the Peat they burned in winter?"

Yugi did not say a word but continued to wrap Ryou's shoulder. The gesture itself was enough to alert Yami that something was wrong with the Sakura spirit. "What's wrong Yugi?"

The Sakura Spirit suddenly clutched the fabric of the Kimono over the centre of his chest his face twisting in pain "I can hear them" he whispered tears suddenly beginning to run down his face, the tears that made it to the ground making flowers of extraordinary beauty grown, though laced with thick jagged thorns "They are crying"

The Spirit suddenly swayed on his feet before collapsing. Malik lunged forward and caught the age old immortal before he hit the ground. His lavender gaze locking onto Yami "Take him to the Mother Tree, only she can help him right now. Bakura, Marik go with him, and by Kami if any mortal dares go near the Mother Tree defend it with your life!"

Yami nodded picking up Yugi bridle style before turning to run but was faced with his old friend. "Buck" he sighed with relief. The small fawn that he had once played with was now a magnificent twelve tined stag that snorted as Yami swung on and Yugi's unconscious form was passed up to him by Marik and Bakura. "Now dash" he said holding onto the thick fur at the base of the deer's neck. With a bellow the stag raced off, Marik and Bakura following on foot, alert for anything that may have come into the forest.

"We are running out of time" Malik said as Ryou hauled himself onto dry land, his power over the water diminishing the more polluted it became. It took longer to make legs these days. "Yugi will die if the Mother Tree is brought down. Every tree that cries out as it is felled he feels it as if it is his own heart being ripped from his chest. Just as you will die if the Water gets any more polluted."

"Why did they abandon the ways of old Malik?" the distraught Water Spirit asked softly

"They have their own magic, 'tis called the magic of the mind. Creativity I believe Kami called it" Malik explained "Just as we have powers over earth, wind and water. They have the magic of the mind."

"But why kill the Spirits that have guarded them for so long? Why cut down trees that were held in such high esteem in the days of old?" Ryou whimpered as they took a small walk through the forest, coral daggers belted at his hips in case of attack. Malik's bow and arrows slung casually over his back.

"The penalty of having such a complex mind is that it will want and want until there is nothing left to want. Kami named this Greed." Malik recited softly as they climbed a tree for a better view along the border of the Sakura forest. Both peered over the edge and Ryou gasped in horror. Many trees had been cleared some wood burning on small camp fires that workers sat around. Fallen Sakura petals littered the ground from the distance tainting the ground like a sea of pink blood.

"They do not respect the old gods anymore" Malik sighed as a powerful smell of sulphur like substance wafted over the trees. "They are killing the Sakura and Water Spirits everywhere nowadays. Soon I will be gone too."

Ryou cast his gaze to the small village that had black smoke coming from chimneys. "'tis not a village anymore, it has expanded greatly"

Malik closed his eyes looking away as another trees fell, Sakura petals rippling like waves on the ground as the ancient soul within the tree died as axes cut into the wood. He turned to look back to the giant bulk of the Mother Tree and heard a heart wrenching shriek.

The men below working on the fallen tree looked about them as the cry reached their ears. A young man in his early twenties looked up fearful at the tree the two Spirits were perched on. Ryou narrowed his eyes and Malik stared at him passively both had their porcelain masks covering their faces. The man blanched and fell to his knees sobbing "I knew we shouldn't have started to cut down the forest"

"Get up!" snapped a large muscle bulged man coming up and dragging the man to his feet.

"I quit!" cried the younger man throwing down the axe that he had placed in his hands "The elders were right! We are killing the Sakura Spirit and its brethren! I want no part of it!" with that the man walked away several following him back to the village. "Your boss will doom us! The Spirits will haunt us for the sins we have committed against them"

Ryou looked to Malik who watched silently as the man went back to the village. "We need to talk with the elders" Malik decided

The Water Spirit sighed "But we cannot come out of the forest Malik"

"Then let us send in our mortals" the Wind Spirit replied as they climbed down the tree and walked back to the clearing where they had found the children what seemed like a life time ago. "They have become more than just children of the forest, they are its only hope now..."

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A/N: (I think this is starting to sound a bit like Princess Mononoke...)


	5. Wandering Spirits

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH!

Please R&R!

(In response to Lil' Dark's question about pairings, i can honestly say I have no idea... X) I was going to make it a bit like the manga Demon Flowers. Though as I said I still haven't figured it out yet. I hope this (sort of) answers your question!)

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Yugi sighed as he leaned against the Mother Tree's highest branch. He could still see Yami's black cloak along with Marik's beige and Bakura's grey one getting smaller as they raced away.

He sat down on the branch as they finally faded from his keen vision. "How long have you been awake?" asked Ryou materialising upon the branch next to him, he had used the Tree's water network to get to the Sakura Spirit

"Since you started outlining the plan to Yami, Bakura and Marik" replied Yugi covering his eyes with his hand "What's happening to me Ryou?"

"You are dying" said the Water Spirit truthfully as the Sakura Spirit seemed to age before his eyes

"I have lived for centuries" the Sakura Spirit suddenly smiled "The idea of actually dying is so foreign to me"

Ryou fidgeted nervously "Are you angry that we sent Yami with Bakura and Marik without your permission"

"He is man's child" said Yugi "I have no control over his will"

"But you raised him" said Malik the wind picking up as he floated over to the branch balancing on the tip of a fragile looking branch. "He will come back Yugi"

"Are we all dying?" asked Yugi ignoring the point that Malik was trying to imply

Ryou slumped with a sigh and Malik tensed before answering with a silent nod "Thought so" the wilting Sakura Spirit said leaning against the bark, he felt tired, something he had no recollection of ever feeling before. He just wanted to sleep and hide himself within the Mother Tree. "Did you give them a time limit?"

"They have to stop the damage within the month... or... we simply leave." Said Malik softly "The Willow Guardian of the Kami Valley just over the Forge Spirit's mountain has agreed to take you and the Mother Tree to her forest, she said she needs some colour in her valley. The Ocean master has agreed to make a new river for you to manage Ryou that will run through the Willow Valley. As for me I'm going to move my domain to over the Kami Valley, the wind over their is fresher and clear of all pollution."

"But...What about Yami? I can't leave him behind!" Yugi declared "I made a promise to him when he was small. I said I'd always be there for him! I can't simply remove myself from his life so suddenly!"

Ryou winced as Yugi's voice took on a tone of desperation. "Yugi... please... If we don't leave, the humans will kill us... we gave a scroll to Yami to give the Elder of the Village. We are basically giving them a new life. If they cannot stop the destruction within the month, the spell on the scroll will take their memories of us and lock them away for as long as they live..."

Yami tossed the scroll up in the air with a bored air suddenly wishing he had taken the ball Yugi had made for him years ago from the wood of a fallen branch wrapped in animal skin that Malik had hunted for the children. It was one of his most treasured possessions, his Katana that Yugi had made for him being the first that was attached to his hip with the tiger mask.

"Stop throwing that thing around Yami!" snapped Marik snatching it out of the air as they reached the road nearly a mile away from the village turned town. "Malik said it was very important!"

"Mama's boy" snorted Bakura unclipping his mask and setting it on his face, the Cheshire grin of the cat upon the mask shining faintly as they made their way out of the forest for the first time in their lives.

"I am not!" Marik snapped putting the scroll under his cloak and fitting the hawk mask like Yami proceeded to do as they wandered into the middle of the worn road.

Yami threw his hands back behind his head in a relaxed gesture as they walked back the way they came along the road. He curiously looked about him analysing the fields that men worked with stocky bulls and others that harvested an odd yellow plant with scythes that flashed menacingly each time they swung. He couldn't help but shiver as most stopped to watch them in awe as they merely walked on towards an old hut at the side of the road.

Bakura, in total lack of etiquette banged his fist on the door violently causing a startled shout to echo towards them "I'm coming, I'm coming" they heard as the door was reeled open to reveal an old man leaning on a cane, purple eyes like the Sakura Spirit stared at them in total shock before ushering them in.

"Spirits these days" the man shook his head as they examined his little house without his permission. Marik was currently prodding the hunting bird as it was nestled on its perch never once screeching at him like he was familiar with when he got in the usual forest Hawks way. Bakura was watching the baby Koi fish that lazily swam in a bowl with fascination, he prodded the bowl convinced the old man had somehow stolen his guardian's magic over the water and had trapped these fish in a water bubble that Ryou used to do to entertain him if he had been scared.

Yami wandered through the house and out into the garden. It was a beautiful place complete with a small pond and bridge. He was outraged however when he saw a Sakura tree half toppled over, branches dangling into the pond of Koi fish. "Never did get around to fixing it, poor old thing" said the old man his cane tapping out his steps as he came to stand beside Yami. "So Sakura Spirit sent you? My... he must be in pain. Terrible things this millionaire is doing to his forest. Doesn't believe in the old Spirits, they say"

"My Guardian sent me and my brethren" Yami announced as Marik appeared behind them and thrust the scroll at the old man "They say you are to read this scroll alone, Elder of the Humans"

Bakura leaned on the railing of the bridge, eyeing the Koi fish below as the old man laughed shaking his head "I haven't been an elder in a long time, however call me Solomon"

"Very well" Yami said walking over to the toppled Sakura Tree and chose a branch over hanging the water as his perch "I will be here if you need to discuss anything with me"

"Me too gramps" smirked Bakura sliding under the bridge to sit on a small part of the bank that the bridge was balanced on.

"Me three!" called Marik from the top of the Sakura tree

"We will be going into the village tomorrow Solomon" Yami stated "We will need to find this Millionaire you speak of..." Yami trailed off as he watched the sun begin to dip below the horizon already having the gut retching feeling of home sickness.

"Of course" said the old man walking away the scroll clutched in his hand "I'll help you out tomorrow, it is the least I can do for the Spirits that once allowed me to talk with them"

Yami watched the old man go suspicion in his crimson eyes before looking up to the dark night sky, stars shining like miniature suns "I hope I can save you... Yugi..."


	6. Shrines and Metal Ores

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R!

* * *

Yami was suddenly aware that he was hanging upside down. He opened his crimson eyes to see himself faced with a curious golden Koi fish, which was on the verge of coming all the way out of the water just to look at him. He blinked and the fish lunged, the wet mouth of the fish nipping at his mask where his lips were covered by the porcelain. With a yelp he clutched the branch he was hanging from tighter drawing himself well out of the fish's range. Bakura and Marik's laughter echoed in his ears as he swung upright on the branch in a flourish, clearly shocked.

"How in the name of the Sakura Spirit did you do that?" asked Solomon standing on the bridge, with the laughing duo, clearly amazed "You must be the first I've seen to be able to sleep hanging from a tree upside down that wasn't a bat and not fall."

"Years of practice" Yami muttered making sure his mask was still attached to his face and had not gone askew in his mild panic. He jumped to the ground to the left, the gold fish following him as he went to stand beside them on the bridge.

"Looks like you have a new friend" Marik snickered as the fish below jumped and flopped out of the water to get their attention.

"Anybody got a fishing rod?" Yami threatened loudly, the fish somehow understanding and darting off.

Bakura snorted "So why did you wake us up old man?"

Solomon smiled kindly and handed them a map of the village. Marik unfolded the paper and Solomon pointed to a circled square right at the centre of the village. "This is where the millionaire lives. His name is Seto Kaiba his plans for the village, is to create a hot springs resort, and he needs to clear away enough space through the forest to get to them."

"Sakura Spirit used to take us their when we were kids right?" asked Marik vaguely remembering the steamy pools at the foot of the Forge Spirit's mountain. "Why the sudden interest?"

"They think there might be precious ore round about that area as well" Solomon expanded

Yami frowned puzzled "What kind of ore?"

"Copper, Iron and Sky Metal not to mention there were rumours of Gold deposits as well" Solomon said with a disgusted air

"I've never seen any of that stuff" Marik said scratching his head, Bakura nodding in agreement

"I know there is Sky Metal" Yami supplied drawing his sword and offering it to the old man "The Wind Spirit said will never break and that it is the strongest metal in the world"

Solomon took the blade looking it over "I see the Sakura Spirit had a hand in designing this" he chuckled pointing at the petal designs "If these engravings are anything to go by"

Yami nodded keeping a brooding eye on his blade, ready to snatch it back if the old man at a moment's notice. "A gift" was all he elaborated on the subject as he took it back and sheathed it under his cloak.

Bakura sighed "So where are we on this?" he tapped the map

"Here" pointed Marik before Solomon could respond. Yami looked over to see Marik pointing at a place called Forest Shrine

"This is a shrine?" Bakura enquired curiously, he had always wondered what the three Spirits had meant when they said 'Offerings' and 'Shrine' in hushed whispers when they thought the three had been sleeping.

"Used to be" said Solomon sadly "People used to come every day to pay respects to the Spirits of the forest for keeping it healthy and supplying the village with wild meat and occasionally fruits, the Sakura Spirit even left old trees that had died for us to use. It all stopped when this Kaiba showed up and convinced the townspeople that we Shrine carers were only in it for the money they sometimes left as tribute when they paid respects to these 'so called Spirits'."

Yami seethed at the story fairly sure that if he saw the man right now he would skewer him on his sword for the offenses against Yugi, Malik and Ryou. "We are leaving to see this Kaiba, Marik. Bakura"

"Right behind you" Bakura chimed as they walked past the old man

"Wait! He cried in a panic "You can't just wander into the village like that!"

"Why not?" asked Marik looking himself over "I thought we looked rather good"

"Take off your masks at least" groaned Solomon "People with think you're mad!"

"Marik IS mad" Bakura snickered "You don't see us complaining"

"Just trust me, please" the old man replied shaking his head "By the way thanks to the scroll your Guardians graced me with I now know that you are humans so take them off!"

Yami sighed reaching up and removing his tiger mask, revealing his sharp features and slanted crimson eyes to the air. Marik and Bakura following his lead. "And take off those weapons; you won't even get past the first house if you are seen carrying those"

Yami narrowed his eyes clutching his sword's hilt at the words, Solomon seemed to notice for he quickly elaborated "I mean not to steal from you; I mean to hide them from thieves and such on the roads"

"Very well" he replied handing over his sheathed sword, his friends also handing over their treasured weapons. "Anything else?" he asked his tone held annoyance, he wanted to go home... this man was really confusing him.

"Yes, I have some spare Villager clothes; you can wear that so you blend in. We only wear bright colours at festivals you three will stick out like sore thumbs" Chuckled Solomon dragging Marik by the wrist who yelped at the sudden movement.

Giving a small smile Yami reluctantly followed the old man back into the house where he shoved the three of them into the spare room and chucked a pile of clothes at their heads before calling as he hobbled away into the small kitchen area to wait for them. "They should fit you, after all the boys that usually come here are about your size and use these for running around."

Yami held up the shirt with a disdainful air, it was a dirty brown with small tears in the sleeves. He mentally shook himself as he unbuttoned his blue shirt Yugi had made for him with the help of some other Spirit he was on good terms with. The memory made his heart clench painfully as he folded the material and left it on a low shelf. _Please hold on just a little longer Yugi, I'll save you even if it's the last thing I do! _


	7. So let it be said, so let it be done

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R! (A big thank you to those who have already! I'm glad you are enjoying this!)

* * *

Bakura growled as another person knocked his shoulder in the busy street. "Kami above will you watch where you are going?!" he finally snapped at the ignorant person who nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Sorry" the victim squeaked before hurrying back into the crowd as Bakura grumbled to Marik.

Yami was ignoring their antics in favour of staring at various stalls that lined houses. Humans were wandering the place in a confusing fashion he concluded with conviction as one stood on his foot with a glare as if he was the one that had stepped on the other's foot. However his hiss of pain and a narrowing of his demonic eyes, which a small brat had screamed at when he had been looking at some things a stall had on offer, sent the man scurrying away a little paler than he had been.

Some walked in a weird pattern between the stalls, some zigzagging over the middle of the street to each stall working their way down, while others in a more organised fashion were walking down one side and going up the other.

He ran a hand through his hair, mentally fighting back a headache at the level of noise. It was so loud compared to the forest! It was a wonder that they hadn't heard it in the forest before. He glanced back to Bakura and Marik who had suddenly stopped to look at a stall's offerings. He trudged back their side moodily before becoming interested in a pendant with a Sakura petal pattern with a serene smile mask engraved into the wood of the amulet.

"It is said to guard you from the Sakura Spirit" said the stall holder, a smiling girl with brown hair and sky blue eyes "Because he has become angry at all humans we need protection walking in his forest"

"Why is he angry?" Yami asked mimicking bewilderment, Marik and Bakura looking over things before chucking them back onto the stall shelf before becoming interested in another trinket.

"The Millionaire Seto Kaiba has been cutting down his trees" said the girl sadly "If only the forest Spirit could understand that we only want what is best for our village."

"But why can't you understand that the Sakura Spirit only wants what is best for his forest?" Bakura chipped in "Not to mention you are polluting the Water Spirit's water..."

"And polluting the Wind Spirit's air" finished Marik unimpressed

The girl flinched back at their anger "I'm sorry" she snapped back "It's not as if I can do anything about it is it?"

Yami growled "You could have protested"

"The Shrine Carers were corrupt, they were taking our money and using it for their own ends" the girl replied frostily "Now go away, you are scaring away my customers"

Yami gave a frustrated sigh grabbing Bakura and Marik by their shirts and dragging them back into the crowd muttering under his breath "What part of lying low don't we understand? We are here to get to this Kaiba person, not steal trinkets" he snapped grabbing a necklace that Bakura had swiped from the stall without the girl noticing.

"Bah humbug to you too" Marik snickered taking back the shiny object and stuffing it back in his trouser pocket. "We have a month Yami, We only left the forest yesterday I'm sure Malik, Ryou and Yugi are fine!"

"Alright" Yami caved "Where are we going?"

"That stall over their!" cried Bakura excitedly "It has sharp shiny things!"

Yami groaned as he was dragged along "If you guys don't use the money that old man gave us I'm going to disembowel you with my sword"

"Shame you don't have it on you then" grinned Marik as they reached the stall.

------ At The Mother Tree------

Malik landed on the Mother Tree joining Yugi upon the highest branch.

"You are troubled". It wasn't a question.

"True" replied the Sakura Spirit wincing as he stood up to greet his friend, his face a little pale "Is it wrong to worry?"

The Wind Spirit shrugged "I worry too Yugi, but it can't consume you"

Yugi sighed rubbing his eyes "If you have come to ask me about the Heaven Seed then, yes, it is nearly finished"

Malik smiled "This Heaven Seed could save your life Yugi, don't sound so glum"

"Bah, I have no desire to see this old tree being cut down" Yugi replied patting the bark of the trunk "I was born with her and should rightfully be fated to whatever she is fated to and if it includes dying then so be it"

"And yet you have acted upon Kami's request to make a Heaven Seed" Malik replied thinking it over "Why?"

"'tis a plan B" Yugi grouched melting into a storm of pink petals before re-materialising on the forest floor "If Plan A goes up the spout"

"Which it has a good chance of doing so" said Ryou walking out of his river

"Have you no faith?" Yugi snapped

Ryou winced "I have faith in Bakura, Marik and Yami but... they are young and they know nothing of outside the forest." The Water Spirit hunched his shoulders as he sat on the grass "They shouldn't be martyrs for us, they deserve to live a normal human life. Even if it means... erasing us from their memories"

Yugi sighed "You want me to move up the date on the scroll, don't you?"

Malik and Ryou nodded guiltily as Yugi gazed off in the direction of where the village was "When?" he asked softly casting his hand out, in response a nearby tree shed all of its petals, they floated in the wind, casting a vague circle before they became a concentrated swirling mass under Yugi's hand. The middle of the vortex turned into a viewing portal. The scroll that the old man had placed beside a vase of flowers on his table appeared. Yugi's eyes glowed and the scroll unwound to reveal the neat text of Ryou's handwriting. Yugi fixed his eyes on the date that they had set for the memory wipe and paused awaiting his brethren's answers.

"A week" they both replied bowing their heads

"So let it be said" Yugi's voice said softly the spinning vortex of Sakura petals becoming wild, glowing fierce neon pink "So let it be done..."

In a house just beyond the forest a scroll glowed on a table, its writing changing before it rolled itself back up.


	8. Learning Experiences

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R!

(I probably would have had this up yesterday if my computer hadn't been actng up. again. Anyway enjoy!)

* * *

Marik sulked as they walked down the street; Yami was striding smugly ahead his eyes alight with laughter. His eye was turning a nice shade of purple from where the shorter man had punched him. Even though Yami didn't have his sword, it seemed Yugi had trained him in advanced hand to hand combat as well, more than what Malik had ever covered with them.

Bakura wasn't fairing any better limping along from the injury to his shin where Yami had given him a good boot. It wasn't disembowelling but Yami had gotten his point across fairly well that they weren't to steal again. Marik was fairly inclined to go along with it but Bakura just had to tempt him with that nice shiny dagger didn't he?

As a result when Yami found out as they took a detour off of the main street, the shortest of the three of them had a hissy fit resulting in their current injuries. They wandered through a virtually deserted area, Marik consorting his map every so often. They turned off and came to a rundown area. "Are you sure we are going the right way?" asked Bakura as he watched an old woman glare at them.

Marik nodded his head as Yami looked over his shoulder "Dumbass!" Yami snapped turning the map around "You were reading it upside down"

"Oh! So THAT is why the writing wasn't making any sense" Marik smiled

Sensing another explosion of anger from Yami, Bakura leapt in and restrained the furious young man as he lunged at Marik.

"Ya know that you three are trespassing in a gang area right?" came an accented voice of a young man leaning on the alley way entrance.

"Could we care?" Bakura replied as Yami mentally counted back from ten to prevent himself from exploding at anybody else.

Bakura examined the blond man with a frown "Why have you been following us anyway?"

"You stole from a friend of mine" commented the blond putting his hands back in his pockets giving off a casual air. "Brown hair, blue eyes, ringing any bells"

"She was being offensive to the forest Spirits" Bakura smiled confidently as Yami stood beside him glaring at the boy "Besides theirs three of us and only one of you"

"Don't jinx it" muttered Marik as the blond laughed

"Man, I like you three, you got the right stuff to live in a town like this" smiled the blond "Name's Joey"

Yami frowned ignoring the blond before pointing at the map "Do you know where this Kaiba person is?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Need to give him a death threat" replied Bakura twirling his stolen dagger in his hand "Personally of course, that guy has a lot to answer for, cutting down our forest."

The blonde's brown eyes widened comically, he stumbled back a little "You mean you're the forest Spirits?"

"Humans" Yami corrected "We were raised by them; we only feel it is natural that we will defend them from our own if we have too"

"The Spirit's don't care for humans!" denied Joey accusingly "I've heard the legends!"

"About?" prompted Marik with a smirk

"How the Sakura Spirit is a demon that kills all who dare defile his trees. That he will eventually grow tired of us and will order the forest to overgrow the town. Along with that the Shrine Carers are corrupt" replied Joey "It's a favour Seto is doing for us!"

Yami growled low in his throat, but he suddenly smiled "My, my so you know this Kaiba personally then?"

Joey suddenly blanched as Bakura and Marik suddenly gained identical smirks "No! No I don't!"

"You know, I may not know magic" Yami mused as he stalked forward, his crimson eyes glowing "But I can defiantly tell between the truth and a lie. After all I live with those two" he indicated Bakura and Marik who just snickered as they advanced "You were stupid to come alone.... human"

There was a flurry of movement on Bakura's part as he lunged forward kicking Joey in the shin hard. The human went down with a yelp of pain, cut short by Yami knocking him out with a hit to the head.

The three stood back from him observing the human before Bakura turned on Yami "Since when did we lie?"

"When we were eight you stole my ball and insisted Marik did it, Marik lied to me and said it got stuck up the tallest tree in the forest, when you stole my breakfast one day and said it was Malik's hawk, just know about the dagger... need I go on?" Yami listed off on his fingers

"Yeah, yeah" Bakura waved him off as Marik dragged the unconscious blond back into the alley he had emerged from and dumping him in the trash.

"Done!" Marik beamed with a cackle

Running a hand through his hair Yami grabbed the map that had been discarded in their scuffle and examined it "Okay, so since Marik was being an idiot we were going in the completely wrong direction, we were even further than before from this Kaiba person."

"Let's just call it a day" Bakura supplied fiddling with his dagger "we can get to Kaiba tomorrow; we have plenty of time to kill"

Yami shrugged "I suppose"

They trudged back through the streets towards the old man's house. When they reached the house they just walked in to see Solomon dealing out plates on the table "Oh, you're back! Did you get to see Mr. Kaiba?"

"Nah, we managed to beat up some punk though" Marik replied puffing up proudly like a peacock only to get a smack over the back of the head from Solomon with a spoon.

"You can't pick fights in this town!" Solomon snapped "Even if they were the ones who started it!" he rounded on Yami before he could get the response out.

The youth scowled at him before slumping in his chair "How the Spirit's put up with you I'll never know" muttered Solomon serving up the soup he had made.

Yami spied the scroll on the table beside the flowers and picked it up but before he could unravel it, Solomon snatched it from him chucking it onto a high shelf "No reading at the dinner table, plus it's private"

Yami cursed his luck and went back to eating, he glanced up at the scroll as they went outside to their 'snoozing places' as Marik had dubbed them. They refused Solomon's offer of the spare room, Bakura had freaked out being in such an enclosed space, it was almost funny, if he had not taken out his dagger and threatened anyone who breathed his air. And so they were booted back outside.

Yami sat on his branch again pondering. Why did he feel like he had to read that scroll? "Hey Marik! Bakura!" he called softly awaking his two friends

"What Yami?" snapped Bakura "need a kiss before bed?"

Yami gave him a half-hearted glare "I'm going to get that scroll, it's not like Yugi, Ryou and Malik to be secretive to us."

Marik nodded "True, Ryou and Malik were acting odd before they sent us off"

Bakura inclined his head before giving a smile "Sure sign me up!"


	9. How to Break Into a House 101

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R!

(I hope you enjoy this chapter! And thank you to everybody who has reviewed this!)

* * *

Bakura wandered into the temple just beside the dying Sakura tree. It was a beautiful place that was scented with incense and other such delicious smells. Yami and Marik followed him, pausing only momentarily to examine hand crafted bowls and jars gilded with gold.

"Fancy stuff!" whistled Marik running a finger over a dusty model of a Sakura tree leaving a shining trail of the true material bathed in the moonlight from cracks in the old ceiling. The trunk was made out of tinted glass with petals made from tiny pink quartz stones. "All for Yugi too"

"Nah, look" Yami said as he pointed out a woven tapestry on a wall through to a smaller chamber. It depicted the Wind Spirit in the sky surrounded by hawks, feathers and offerings of bird shaped ornaments were on dusty wooden shelves. "Malik too"

"And Ryou" Bakura breathed as he stood at another corridor leading to a blue room with treasures of the ocean displayed upon its walls.

Yami hummed to himself as he went to the head of the alter, finding his clothes and sword resting on the marble stone, inlaid with pink quartz. He unsheathed his sword and swung it feeling the familiar light weight of it as it whistled and sung with his movements. Moonbeams lanced off of polished metal casting pale white and silver/blue reflections on the precious objects of the Temple.

With a sigh, he replaced his sword on the alter and walked back out into the fresh air of the night. It was chilly tonight, he noted as Marik and Bakura joined him, winter would be coming soon. The Spirit's slept when Kami spread winter; Yugi would merge with the Mother Tree but was careful to create a special shaded hollow for Yami and the boys to live in during the colder months. Ryou would be frozen under his waters and would sleep in suspended animation. Malik would fly south to the hottest lands on the earth to cause mischief among rocks worn to tiny grains that were piled high like mountains.

"Let's do this. And for Kami's sake be quiet!" Yami said as they snuck over the bridge, wincing every time it creaked under their weight.

"Aren't we always?" retorted Bakura flinching as he stepped on particularly worn board that creaked like a tree in a powerful wind.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Yami replied as they reached the other side "Give me your dagger"

Bakura handed over his stolen metal one as Yami tried the door silently cursing as he found it locked. Bakura shrugged "It makes sense; he doesn't want thieves to come in and steal the Spirit's treasures"

Marik rolled his eyes as Yami put the tip of the dagger into the lock, he snorted as Yami tried to pry it open carefully "Get over" he snapped shoving the crimson eyed man out of the way and stabbing violently at the lock which they heard open with a loud snap.

They froze, waiting for a candle or another such light to alert them that the old man was up.

When nothing came they let out a collective sigh of relief. Yami pried open the door and Bakura slunk into the darkness of the house, followed quickly by Marik. Yami silently closed the door after him so it didn't slam shut in the slight wind.

"Okay" sighed Bakura as Marik quickly shushed him with a finger to his lips "Now what?"

Yami looked about the dark living area, and quietly pointed towards the kitchen. The crept past the half open door of Solomon's room, pausing almost like deer in the headlights when the old man moved or shifted in his sleep, "Marik you watch him" Yami whispered as the other took up his station peering round the door.

Bakura had continued on while Yami had been dealing out instructions and stepped into the kitchen. He quickly noted escape roots should the old man wake up to find them snooping. "All clear Yami" he called softly as the red eyes of Yami appeared in the doorway. The moonlight helped them navigate the small kitchen towards the shelf that the scroll had been thrown up to.

"Get a chair" Yami said in a way of suggestion.

The albino nodded carefully picking up a chair and taking it over. His foot caught on the frayed carpet.

The chair thudded down and moaned as it dragged across the floor as Bakura stumbled catching himself just in time. Marik's hiss of "be quiet!" echoed down the hall as Solomon's snores halted for a heart-stopping moment before they resumed.

Yami sighed making sure to 'accidently' step on Bakura's toes as he got onto the chair. He reached up feeling about, letting out a triumphant gasp as his hand came into contact with the soft paper.

He took the scroll down and slipped it into his trouser pocket, "Outside!" he mouthed as he quietly replaced the chair. Bakura motioned to follow, collecting Marik from his sentry duty and slipping back out into the garden.

Just as Yami was about to turn and close the door, a sudden harsh wind erupted and slammed the door shut.

"What the...?" came the startled cry from Solomon's bedroom

"Run!" snapped Yami practically sprinting back to the old Sakura tree, not even bothering to go carefully and avoid the loud creaking planks of the bridge.

They reached their places just as Solomon burst through the back door, holding up a candle as he looked about.

"Ahh, must have been my imagination" grumbled the old man as he turned away to go back into the house "I'm getting to paranoid for my own good"

After Yami heard the loud 'click' of the lock being turned again, thanking Kami that Solomon hadn't realised he had just burst through the back door without unlocking it.

"So what's in the scroll Yami?" asked Marik hanging down from the branch above him much like a bat.

"We can read it tomorrow" Yami replied "Better light" he pointed out as Bakura was about to protest.

"Fine, but first thing tomorrow" sighed Bakura as he returned to his spot under the bridge "I want to know what I just risked getting a heart attack for"


	10. Plots and Revelations

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R!

(Hope you all like this chapter! Sorry if Kaiba is OOC, but I tried...)

* * *

When Joey woke up he had one hell of a headache. He found himself sitting with a week's worth of garbage in the old alleyway. "Damn... How did they get the drop on me?" he asked himself as he massaged a lump on his head. He stumbled up into a standing position, cursing as he peeled off a rotting fruit skin and tossing it back in the container.

He returned to his house and was greeted by the girl from the stall "You sure attract the weird ones Anzu" he commented as he peeled off his shirt and threw it in a basin of water the teenage girl had her hands in, scrubbing some clothes.

"They didn't hurt you did they?" she asked concerned as she turned up her nose at the smell. With a sigh she set to work scrubbing the shirt against the soap and cleaning it to the best of her ability. "Did you sleep near a dumpster again Joey?"

"The brat tossed me IN it never mind near it" muttered the blond as he slipped on a fresh shirt and trousers. He then wandered into the kitchen of his house and held a wet rag to his head. "They sure packed a punch"

"What did they want?" Anzu asked as she put the rung out shirt into a basket and continued with another set of clothes

"They want to talk to Seto. Something about saving their Guardians, I can't remember much, the shortest one clocked me on the head pretty hard." Joey said throwing himself onto a battered chair.

Anzu didn't bother to hide that she was amused. "That serious one of the three? Yeah, he was a bit intimidating besides his short stature."

"I can tell you feel for me" Joey snapped dryly as somebody walked into the kitchen. He was a tall brunette with cold ice blue eyes.

"What's going on?" the tall man asked the blond stonily, as he sat down on another chair.

"Nothing, some guy's want to talk to you, something about the forest" Joey waved the man off "Anyway what are you hanging around here for Seto? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Anzu flipped when you didn't come back to the house last night, and sent a messenger to see me asking if I had seen you" replied Seto getting up "And now you apparently have information regarding these 'Spirits of the forest'"

"Some fanatics" Joey shrugged "Said they were coming to take it up with you at the office later on"

The millionaire turned away from them "When they come to my office, I'll be ready for them" he smiled to himself. Joey frowned suddenly concerned

"What are you up to Kaiba? Why _are_ you cutting down the forest?"

"All in due time" said the millionaire as he walked back out into the street.

--------Shrine Garden-----------

Yami yawned and stretched as he woke up, blinking lazily before suddenly remembering the scroll. His hand flew to his pocket, sighing in relief when he felt and heard the paper crinkle. He took out the roll of parchment and set it on his lap.

It was normal parchment attached to two sea-glass rollers, obviously of Ryou's craftsmanship. It was tied with red cord and at the end of the cord hung the crest of each of the three Spirit's. It was oval in shape split into three sections. One contained rolling waves, rendered a light blue with pearl white for the top of the waves. He second bore only the insignia for wind, for it had no colour or obvious designs. The third was a simple Sakura petal, which made Yami wince with the urge to return home immediately.

"Well are you going to open it or are you going to stare at it all day?" Bakura suddenly snapped, jolting him out of his musings.

On reflex Yami struck out, only to get his fist gripped by Marik from above him "Woah, Yami chill, it's just us"

"Don't scare me!" Yami retorted annoyed as they plonked down on either side of him as he untied the blood red cord.

Carefully he unravelled it; they all leaned forward to read the writing that was surely within. Yami unravelled it fully, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"What?"

The scroll was blank. A plain beige parchment stared back at them. "But we saw Ryou write it!" Bakura denied almost in a panic "Did you grab the right scroll?"

"There was only one scroll on the shelf!" Yami confirmed rolling it up and unrolling it as if the writing would magically appear again.

"That's it!" snapped Marik storming away, but not before grabbing the blank scroll from a bewildered Yami and Bakura. The two followed him out of curiosity as he stomped over the bridge and wrenched the newly unlocked door open, scaring Solomon who was on the other side.

"Alright old man, talk!" Marik thundered making the elderly man backtrack "What did Ryou write in this scroll?!"

"How did you get that?" Solomon asked calmly

"Answer my question first" Marik replied, looking murderous "Malik, Ryou and Yugi don't keep secrets from us. You know something old man, so start singing"

Bakura's eyes were wide "He's good" he muttered to Yami who snorted when Solomon went pale as Marik whispered his threats into his ear.

"Alright, alright" Solomon said frowning beckoning them into the kitchen "The Spirit's only have a month, before they are forced to clear the forest. They can't take you where they will be going and so they, well the Sakura Spirit cast a spell. It... will wipe your memories of them in a month's time if you can't stop the destruction of the forest."

Yami swore his jaw would have hit the ground if it hadn't been attached to his skull.

"Let's see the scroll, Solomon" Marik replied as the old man took a folded piece of paper from his pocket

"I changed the parchment around, when you boys became interested" Solomon amended as the boys unfolded the real scroll on the table

"You said a month right?" Bakura asked as his face went even paler

"Yes why?"

"Then why does it say we only have five days left until the spell takes effect?" Yami swallowed dryly as the four mortals watched the number on the parchment glow a feint pink.

"We're so screwed" Marik supplied.


	11. Prayers of the heart

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R!

(right. this might probably be my weakest chapter as I had a bit of difficulty with it. anyway I hope you enjoy it!)

* * *

Yami's panic alarms shot through the roof. Five Days? How the hell could they get all this mess cleaned up in five days?!

He fretted nervously in front of the temple. Bakura and Marik had gone to sulk somewhere to think up a decent plan of attack. Figuratively speaking he hoped. He slunk into the grand building. Sunbeams played patterns across the wooden floor from the sizeable holes in the roof. A few Sakura petals fell through the roof as he walked through the sunbeams to get to the altar.

He stopped before the altar staring at it as he mulled over his limited options, he put his hands in his trouser pockets suddenly feeling the warm metal of the money that Solomon had given them. He took out the change before he was struck with an idea.

He dug through the shelf of treasures finding an incense holder and a few withered looking sticks of myrrh incense. Looking about to make sure no one would notice, he laid it out nervously before wondering what to do about lighting the fragrant stick.

With an annoyed groan he went back out into the garden and found to sharp looking stones. "I never figured you'd be one for lighting incense." Came the voice of Solomon as he came out of the house to stand before the temple.

Yami blushed "Eh...experiment" he supplied in way of explanation.

The old man smiled before pulling out pieces of flint. "This will work better" he said "So put those back"

With an embarrassed cough Yami dropped the stones and graciously took the flint. "Thanks"

"No problem, I hope it works for you" Solomon said walking back into the house.

After a few failed attempts Yami managed to light the incense before blowing out the flame to create the sweet smelling smoke.

Yami placed the coins down in the incense bowl as a way of offering "I know this is weird but... I need help Sakura Spirit. You raised me and I want to help you preserve your life as you did mine all those years ago...

"I'm not trying to help because of a favour for you. I'm doing this because I..." Yami paused before glancing around him to make sure no one heard his confession before he grit his teeth and let it be known to the silent temple "I love you... and not the family love either. You make me feel complete Yugi, like I'm half of a soul and you're its exact fit."

Yami winced at how cheesy it sounded, his voice echoing in the shrine. "argh! Forget what I just said!" he muttered clutching his head "I need an idea!"

-----------------------------------------Mother Tree-----------------------------------------------

Yugi's head shot up from where he sat on the Mother Tree. The whisper of a prayer echoed in his ear. _Who prays to the spirit's anymore?_ He thought dissolving into Sakura petals and re-materialising on the forest floor.

He stalked through the trees touching the bark of different Sakura trees to make sure he was heading in the right direction. He eventually came across the back of a temple shrine. "I need an Idea!" came Yami's deep baritone from the other side of the stone.

Yugi stood for a moment contemplating whether he should enter the shrine and comfort his charge or give Yami a suggestion on whatever it was he needed it for. "Stupid time limit" came Yami's hiss

_Ah..._ Yugi fretted a little, so that was what Yami was on about _I can't help you there Yami..._

With a sigh Yugi walked away but not before saying "Good luck Yami"

----------------------------------------shrine-------------------------------------------------------

"Hey Yami! What're you doing sulking in here?" came Bakura's voice from the doors, "jeez we thought you had done a runner on us"

"Says the guy who stalked off with Marik" Yami snapped back "You got any ideas yet?"

"Yeah, we are going to run in all guns blazing!" Marik cried dramatically

"And here I thought you would have a _good_ idea..." Yami muttered darkly

Bakura shrugged "You got an idea then?"

Yami sighed "Let's just get to Kaiba's building first, and then we can have a panic attack if he decides to see us"

Marik gave a mock salute "Right you are boss!" and with that ran out of the shrine

"Sugar?" Yami asked exasperated rubbing his eyes as if stressed.

"Sugar" Bakura nodded beckoning him out "Come on Yami, unless you want to sit here and try to burn holes in the alter with your eyes the whole day"

"Yeah, yeah" Yami sighed leaving the incense to burn _I hope you heard me Yugi_ he thought as he stepped out into the garden.

"Okay, let's get going"

---------------------------Kaiba's office----------------------------------

Seto Kaiba sat at his desk looking through formal reports on the demolition of the forest. A knock on his door and the entry of one of his guardsmen made him look up.

"Sir, the three boys you wanted to see are heading this way" reported the soldier stiffly "The man you placed to watch them ran on ahead to warn us"

"Good, good" smirked Kaiba flicking his hand out in a 'shoo' gesture "Have all of my appointments for today cancelled, when they arrive I will be speaking to them personally."

The guard bowed low and left the office.

Kaiba turned away from the door, his hand reaching to a pendant at his neck. _Soon Mokuba soon._


	12. Meeting

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH!

Please R&R!

(I'm back!! Sorry everyone! I was away in Breamar, which is up in the Highlands for all the geographists, and up there they have no internet connection! So here is the next chapter, hope you enjoy it!)

"Okay, now that we know Marik is reading the map the right way round, this should be a piece of cake!" grinned Bakura as they strolled back in the direction of the village centre.

Yami shrugged "as long as we get there today, I don't really care where Marik takes us."

The said boy was at the front, his face stuck in the map, he would randomly sway to the right or left at a junction before deciding to walk straight again after a little deliberation and a threat from Bakura.

"Right!" declared Marik holding up the map "I'm more or less sure, that we have a 90% probability that we are going in the totally wrong direction!" he smiled

Yami eye twitched "Marik if you don't start running now, I'm going to..."

"I thought you said you don't care where he takes us as long as we get to Kaiba's place." Chided Bakura with a smirk

"Within reason" growled Yami as Marik squeaked and took off at a sprint. The map fluttered in the wind and Bakura caught it as it past.

"Fine" Bakura sighed "Just bring him back in one piece"

Yami smirked "Don't worry, he may have a concussion though" with that Yami ran off after Marik's rapidly fading figure.

Bakura rolled his eyes and proceeded to walk on at more reasonable pace that wouldn't scare the village folk into thinking the world was ending. He studied the map wondering why Marik was having such difficulty following a simple line that Solomon had drawn in bright red ink to Kaiba's office and circled it multiple times.

He paused and found the landmark that indicated that they were near the office. "Huh... We were closer than Marik was making out" he muttered as he saw Yami stomp back to him, looking absolutely livid.

"Damn maniac, jumped up a tree in the park" Yami grumbled as he fell into step beside him "I gave him the benefit of the doubt and pretended I couldn't see his feet hanging from the lowest branch. He'll be a long in a few"

True enough to Yami's word Marik timidly appeared and stuck to Bakura's other side like glue, as if Yami was going to jump him at moment's notice.

"You do realise I was kidding right?" Yami said putting his hands behind his head as they walked , an amused smirk crossing his face.

"Kidding my ass" Bakura muttered his attention once more on the map. "We're here!"

The three boys looked up at the building with an unimpressed air. "And the reason why we didn't spot a three story building in a village of bungalows is because....?" Yami asked, mentally kicking himself.

"Because we were being oblivious?" Marik supplied as a suggestion

"Or maybe because we are used to seeing tall things?" Bakura said rolling his eyes, craning his neck a little to see the top of the building "Seriously that thing is on par with the Mother Tree"

"Excuse me?" asked a voice from behind them.

Yami's hand flew to his pocket as he turned; gripping the dagger that Bakura had stolen yesterday and he had 'forgotten' to return. He figured it would do no good in the hands of his two friends, with their scheming. "Who are you?" he asked his hand tight around the handle.

"Mr. Kaiba has sent me to greet you" said a man in a bright red business suit, complete with purple tie. "He says to head straight up. Apparently he had warning that you were coming."

"Oh?" Marik asked suspiciously as the man beckoned them towards the entrance. "And how, pray tell, does he know that we are coming?"

"Spies are everywhere in this village" commented the mysteriously happy man as they went up the stairs. "You don't get privacy like you used to here. Much different from the forest eh?"

Bakura scowled "Who exactly are you Mr. happy?"

"My name is Maxamillion Pegasus, Spirit of the arts" grinned the man. But before they could question him they were shown into a lavish study. "Your guests "

With that the suited man walked away with an absent minded smile on his face.

Yami stared after Pegasus with a frown, then shrugged as he remembered when Yugi had said that there were other Spirit's who actually worked alongside men in order to retain their immortality through the spreading of their gifts. He closed the door after them and strode to the desk where a man sat watching them. Plus when they said their name they always ended it with what Spirit they were.

"So you three were looking for me I hear" came the monotone voice from the blue eyed man.

"So you must be Kaiba" Marik said tilting his head to examine the man that looked to be around the same age as them.

"Okay Kaiba we'll make this short and sweet for you" Bakura said coming forward as Yami rolled his eyes "Stop tearing down the forest! You're killing the Spirit's that have dwelled there since before man was even made!"

The man smiled making Yami shiver. "I'm afraid I can't do that"

"And why not?" Marik demanded "Go plant some of your own trees and cut THEM down"

"Have you three ever heard the legend of Immortal?" Seto Kaiba asked clearly ignoring Marik's outburst

"No, but you already know this don't you Kaiba?" Yami interrupted "You know we haven't heard the folklore of the village because we already live within the folklore."

The blue eyed man gave a small smile, not putting Yami at ease in the least. "Precisely. You three are the adoptive children of those three 'spirit's' am I right?"

"Just get on with your explanation Kaiba" Bakura growled

"Very well. The legend is very simple. It merely states the usage of the blood of a Spirit to make the drinker immortal, forever young and powerful, with the control over the element of the spirit whose blood you took." Kaiba narrated clasping his hands in front of his face, his elbows leaning on the wooden desk. "I have been sent here by my 'father ' to aquire such a Spirit."

The three boys growled almost savagely at him "You are killing our guardians just for immortality?!" Yami practically roared

Kaiba smiled cruelly "Don't worry, with my technology, your guardian will die quickly"

"Good thing you don't know where they are then" Marik scowled

"Oh, I'm not going to them." Kaiba smirked "They are going to come to me" Seto snapped his fingers and three guardsmen erupted through the door.

Yami barely had time to think of a strategy before he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head. He fell to his knees with a shocked gasp, hands flying to the pained area. He looked up at Kaiba as he came around the desk, dark spots filling his vision. "No" he mumbled as he fell the rest of the way to the carpet "Yugi..."


	13. Of Dreams and Relaxation

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R!

(Right. I am going to only update this fic on a Tuesday and a Friday now as I'm up to my gills in College work. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter! And Thank you to everybody who has reviewed this story!)

He was walking towards the forest. The brown bark became burnt and charred; the petals of all the trees became the tears of nature as they fell to become a pink pool of blood. Yami stared about him; ash like rain blew about him. He swallowed thickly as he came upon a familiar clearing, the water of Ryou's river, a mere trickle and the air full of arid smoke. He tried to run, but his feet kept walking.

He walked through the sea of petals and ash and stopped before the Mother Tree. He fell to his knees in horror. The Mother Tree was bare of her petals, shed in a ring around the great trunk. The trunk itself was charred black; the life clearly had left the tree. A familiar sword was standing in the ground, the metal covered in grime. He looked up in a panic and cried out as he saw Yugi standing up on a barren branch. The serene expression on the mask was cracked, and exposed one of Yugi's amethyst eyes. It was weeping blood. The golden rivulets of blood running down the Sakura Spirit's cheek, the path hidden by the rest of the mask before it dripped off of the bottom of the mask and to the bark of the Mother tree, creating a golden puddle.

"You promised" Yugi's voice echoed as he disintegrated on the arid wind. "You failed"

"No! Yugi!" he shouted as the Mother Tree collapsed in on itself throwing up a cloud of ash and pink petals, obscuring his vision.

"Yugi!" he cried his eyes snapping open, he jolted forward his head banging against Bakura's who let out a surprised shout, reeling back clutching his nose.

"That's the last time I try to wake you up!" Bakura snapped retreating back before turning to Marik "Am I bleeding?" He asked tilting back his head to let the third person of their party to see.

Marik shook his head "Nope"

Yami groaned rubbing his head before looking about the barren room "Where are we?"

"Kaiba got the drop on us" Bakura said giving his nose a final rub, before deciding if it was going to bleed it would have done so by now. "We are in the holding cells of the village apparently."

"I can see that" Yami sighed as he spied the barred window "How long have we been here? And why do I have the headache of the century?"

"Well its night time so we've been here a good few hours. As for your headache, one of Kaiba's guardsmen clocked you on the head, there was a bit of blood but I managed to get a cloth off of the jailer, so it wouldn't get infected" Marik said.

Yami nodded then stood up, he noticed his hands were clammy; the images of his dream flickering round and round his mind. "We need to get out and back to the Mother Tree..."

Bakura and Marik nodded in agreement "Maybe we can persuade Yugi to break the spell he cast over us."

Yami sighed and shook his head "I don't think Yugi would"

"Give him the kicked puppy look" Bakura joked trying to lighten the mood as Yami leaned against the only bed in the cell. "He always gave you what you wanted when you done that"

"So did Ryou and Malik" Yami retorted with a grin starting to feel a little better

---------------Mother Tree----------------

Ryou sat on his river meditating. Malik lounged on a rock outcropping while Yugi lay on the grass. The Sakura Spirit had his eyes closed, letting his senses alert him to his surroundings.

Malik stretched causing a brief gale to sweep through the trees rustling the blooms and branches. Ryou opened and eye and glared at him as the water on the river rippled wildly. "Did you have to do that?"

"He does as in his nature" Yugi supplied not bothering to open his eyes.

Ryou shrugged and went back to meditating while Malik decided to whine

"Is this all we did when we didn't look after the boys?!" Malik asked feeling a little shocked.

Yugi opened his eyes and propped himself up on his elbows and nodded "Yep, feels weird that I don't have to keep an eye out for Yami 24/7"

Ryou finally giving in trying to meditate sighed and nodded "dare I say it, I feel bored, there is no-one to teach to fish or to teach to fight."

"No-one to teach to land lightly on their feet, or sneak around without a sound" Malik chipped in

"Do you want me to add to your depression or will I just say, get over it?" Yugi asked sarcastically lying back down putting his hands behind his head

"You don't mean that" Malik waved him off rolling onto his stomach to look down on them from his perch. "So what do you want to do?"

"To be honest I was just getting relaxed" Yugi said closing his eyes again against the bright sunlight that was becoming a rarity around the forest thanks to the smog clouds that the village created. "Give me five minutes"

"Ryou?" asked Malik switching his attention to the Water Spirit who shrugged.

"We could go down to the Ocean and play with the dolphins if you want" Ryou smiled

Malik shook his head suddenly remembering the last time he had tried to play with the creature. Images of the mammals deciding he could suddenly breathe under water and dragging him deep flashed through his mind making him shudder. "Nope. I'm good."

Yugi snickered knowing full well what had happened nearly three hundred years ago. Ryou gave an amused chuckled before standing up. "I hate to be a bore Yugi, but I have to get some of that gunk in my river cleaned up."

The Sakura Spirit nodded before getting up "I'll have to see to my fruit patch anyway, I don't think I watered it yesterday either."

"You two are so boring! I say we create some mischief. That way people will have to start praying again!" Malik declared with a smile.

Ryou and Yugi rolled their eyes at the Wind Spirit's suggestion "No" they both objected

Malik pouted "Fine" he sighed "I'll see you two later" The Wind Spirit then clapped his hands and disappeared in a powerful tornado of air.

Yugi brushed the dirt off of his Kimono and fixed the sleeves so that they once more cover the pale skin of his arms. "I'll see you later Ryou" and like the Wind Spirit he disintegrated into a cloud of Sakura petals that wafted through the trees towards the Mother Tree.

"If there _is_ a later" muttered Ryou as he merged into the river, leaving the clearing untouched as if there had never been anybody there.

-----------------Kaiba's office-----------------

"Mr. Kaiba" said the guardsman walking into the office a sealed scroll in his hands "A letter"

Seto looked up from his desk, and set a file down that he had been reading. The guardsman placed the scroll on the desk nervously. Kaiba took one look at the wax seal and ordered the man out.

Once he was alone he locked the office door and broke the seal on the scroll. His cold blue eyes narrowed as he read the short letter through.

When he finished he threw down the parchment and threw open the door, snapping the lock as the door came free of its wooden frame "Get me those three brats that were in here yammering on about Spirits!" he bellowed at the guardsman standing on the other side of the corridor.

With a quick bow the guardsman walked away and Kaiba slammed his door closed _damn it! I'm running out of time!_


	14. Interogation

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH!

Please R&R!

(as Promised here's Frieday's update! Enjoy!)

----------------Mother Tree-------------------

Yugi wandered among his fruit bushes and various vegetable rows. A Strawberry bush full with the ripe fruit made him pause. He reached out and picked one of the plump, red treats. He rolled the fruit between his fingers, feeling the rough texture. He rarely saw the strawberry bushes with fruit, Yami, Bakura and Marik saw to it that they made sure to find each one as it grew and ripened and ate them.

He sighed and popped the red fruit in his mouth, crushing the flesh between his molars. His eyes widened and he spat it out, with a disgusted look as he watched a new Strawberry bush grow where he had spat out the chewed strawberry. _That's the disadvantage of being a Tree spirit_ he mused as it grew before his eyes. _Damn super-grow-saliva_

With all the years Yami and his friends had been eating his Strawberries, he had forgotten he didn't like the fruit. He suddenly remembered he grew it as a favour for Ryou who had taken a shine to the juicy fruit when a crate of them had accidently been dropped into the river one year.

He moved onto another patch where Malik's favoured vegetables were growing nicely. Then with a sigh he wandered to his own favoured vegetables and fruit.

Once he had weeded out the patches he walked to the Mother Tree. He disintegrated and became a swarm of Sakura Petals, re-materialising upon the highest branch of the Mother Tree. It was an odd branch that reached vertically upwards towards the sky, the end having been worn away to a simple platform that Yugi balanced on to watch his forest. Many legends had sprung up about travellers seeing a ghostly person standing above the trees, watching them as they went on their way.

With a smile Yugi swivelled on his branch, knowing he could just dissolve into petals on the breeze if he fell. Key word being if. He had millennia of practice after all. He faced the village that was just visible through the mist that had appeared not an hour ago. He winced as he watched another tree fall not a hundred trees away. The pain that came with the tree's spirit crying out as it died and was sent back to Kami, was dulled to a sharp throb now. The sticky substance that would spurt out with each axe strike against the bark was the tree's life blood, much like the red substance that poured from humans if the flesh was cut.

Yugi sighed covering his eyes with his hand "if you can hear me Yami. Just be safe."

--------------------Jail----------------------------

Yami growled as Bakura shoved him unceremoniously off of the bed. "Morning!" Marik chirped from the floor as he landed with an ungraceful 'oomf' on his stomach. "Rise and shine Yami!"

Yami groaned as he heaved himself off of the ground "And you woke me up because?"

"I've been snooping by the door" Bakura said softly as they heard the footsteps of the guardsman outside. "Apparently Kaiba is wanting to talk to us again."

"The last time we talked to him ended us in this charming hotel." Yami said sarcastically "I'm not exactly keen to talk again."

"Apparently it has something to do with the Spirit's" Marik said solemnly

"They're fighting back?" asked Yami incredulously "I though Spirit's couldn't fight back under orders of Kami"

"No, just being a pain in the backside to find apparently" Bakura muttered as the footsteps stopped before the door to their cell.

The lock turned stiffly in the door with a loud squeal and the heavy metal door, Three of Kaiba's guardsmen came in, thick lengths of rope in their hands.

The three boys tensed but Yami, feeling it would just land them in a world of hurt, came forward and offered his wrists. Once the guardsmen were sure they weren't going to make a break for it, they dragged them out into the corridor.

They came to a door that had a metal panel nailed to it. The words INTEROGATION ROOM made Yami shudder as they were forced into three chairs in front of a desk and firmly tied to the arm rests.

"You may leave" said Kaiba's cold, monotone voice from behind them. The guardsmen bowed and left the room. "You three are thorns in my side"

"Shame." Sneered Bakura "I was aiming for the ass"

Kaiba's hand smacked over the back of Bakura's head making the said albino curse profanities that would have made a sailor blush. "Be quiet until I say you can speak."

Yami growled "What the hell do you want Kaiba, you know we won't tell you where the Spirit's are"

The ice blue gaze held Yami's fiery crimson "I'm running out of time." Said Kaiba simply "I need the blood of a Spirit to exchange for the life of my brother who is suffering at the hands of my adoptive father"

"It doesn't make it right to tear down the Sakura Spirit's forest, and pollute the air and waters of the Wind and Water Spirits!" Bakura roared still fuming that Seto had dared to hit him.

The Kaiba shrugged and went to the desk. A wrapped object was on the worn wood. He unfolded the cloth to reveal a long stick like object made of wood and metal. "This is what will kill your Spirit's; it fires an iron ball into the object at speeds even a Wind Spirit couldn't replicate."

Yami stared at the object in horror, as Marik smirked "We'll never tell"

"The Spirits are immortal, but not invincible nor are they impossible to locate. Hence the reason I was sent here to find them in the first place. Luckily they were stupid enough to send in the people they care about on a little expedition." Kaiba smiled cruelly patting the long metal stick and putting it back on the desk. "Now all that's left to do is get their precise location. This is where you three come in."

"Never" Yami hissed

Kaiba smiled "Then an ultimatum it is" he walked past them to the door and said to the guardsman on the other side. "Pour poison into the river and set the forest alight."


	15. The Goddess Appears

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R!

(Sorry I couldn't get this up yesterday. Enjoy!)

--------------------------------Sakura Forest-------------------------------------

Sharp senses picked up something in his river. The water creatures that floated around him under the surface were panicking, shrieking in alarm. He changed into a fish and swam up river, coming to a stop near where shadows of men over shadowed the water. He cast his senses out of the water to hear their conversation.

"I heard that they caught these three guys trying to attack Mr. Kaiba and that they know where these so called spirits live" said one man as he held a hooked rod over the water

"I heard their going to poison the river downstream a little so that we can clear the forest of wild life so that we can get on with taking down the trees." Said another "They have cut enough wood down to keep the village going for ages, so they are doing a controlled burning soon."

"Might as well get some last minute fishing done" said the first man letting the hook drop into the water.

In a panic Ryou swam down stream again, his mind racing. _Bakura! Marik! Yami! Oh Kami what's going on?_

He leapt out of the water into the clearing, hitting the ground hard as the legs he fashioned out of water didn't form fast enough. He cried out in frustration as the usually fast reaction happened painfully slow. He wobbled to his feet breathing hard.

"Yugi!" he cried "Malik!"

The wind picked up, a tornado of wind erupted around the clearing, picking up leaves and grit into the swirling grey mass, that died down to reveal Malik his expression worried and tense as he stabled the Water Spirit, before forcing him to sit on the grass.

Last to appear was Yugi, the rippling mass of Sakura petals floated sluggishly through the air to swirl into a lazy column and materialise into the tired looking Sakura Spirit, the porcelain mask clutched in loosely in his pale hand.

"Ryou, are you okay?" asked Malik as Yugi eased himself into a sitting position on the ground looking a little paler than usual.

"They're going to poison the River" Ryou gasped out his news in a rush "They are going to burn the forest!"

Yugi looked calm, but Malik noticed the strain on his face to not breakdown. "What about the boys? They only have two days left until the spell takes affect"

"They have been captured" Ryou said sadly looking at the ground, his fingers fisting in the lush grass, the moisture in the air starting to form rain and hail down around them tough never hitting the three Spirits. Malik scowled, the wind flaring with his temper howling it's anger and pain, even Yugi's face gained an angry glare, and the roots of the Sakura trees erupting from the ground twisting like tortured snakes as wicked thorns grew upon them, with tiny thorns growing on the larger ones.

----------------Forge mountain-----------------

The red skinned forge Spirit hammered away at the molten metal taking shape under his hammer. "Today the humans have brought the vengeance of nature upon themselves." He said softly as the rhythmic slam of is hammer hit the anvil, soothed his building nerves.

"My creations are choosing their own fate" said a bell like voice from a volcanic vent that opened up into the sky letting in natural light.

"You are rarely on the mortal plane." Said the Forge Spirit not even bothering to turn towards the shining ball of golden light that floated at the natural sky light, as he continued to hammer away at his creation "So why now?"

The tennis ball sized light flared a little in brightness lighting up the shadows that the pools of lava failed to reach. "I came to ask... for opinions"

The forge Spirit dropped his hammer in shock. "Kami… did you just ask for help?"

"Opinions!" hissed the chiming voice "Opinions!"

"Which is another way of saying 'I need help'" muttered the Forge Spirit rolling his eyes as he retrieved is hammer, to continue his work.

The ball of light shook in the air in rage glowing as bright as the sun, the sound of multiple bells going off acting as the goddess' voice. The mountain shook in her unexpected fit of a child like tantrum.

"Fine! Fine!" he snapped as one of the inner walls cracked and molten lava leaked into the chamber "Just don't bring down my mountain!"

The shaking calmed and the ball of light reduced itself to bobbing up and down, it's light fading down to something like a lightbulb.

"Should I leave them?" asked the gentle voice of Kami

"Which ones?" the Forge Spirit replied wearily going back to his work, tossing the scrap of his project into the pool of lava just on the other side of the forge.

"The Sakura Spirit's forest and the others that within those trees" mumbled Kami sounding a lot like a child that had been caught stealing from the cookie jar.

"No, you should abandon humans after what they have done to us" The forge Spirit said icily "They have driven Yugi to breaking point over the loss of the old souls who dwell within the bark of his trees. Have Ryou whimpering in pain when he tries to fashion legs so he can meet with his friends. And Malik… His air is becoming polluted day by day and he will eventually fade because he can no longer breathe within his own element."

The ball of golden light folded in on itself flashing an array of different colours to show the goddess' emotions.

"I knew I shouldn't have favoured mortals" Kami said softly "I have made them as powerful as us Gods of nature."

"You have made them more powerful" The Forge Spirit said narrowing his eyes at the now mangled sword he had been trying to craft. "'tis no fault of us Spirits, Kami, merely yours because you wanted to baby them through their short existence"

"I… will consider" Kami said softly "If it is any constellation, I have ordered the Spirits of the Sakura forest to make the Heaven holders"

"That was as dangerous as it is foolish." Said the Forge Spirit picking up his destroyed work and throwing it back in the furnace "Yugi, Ryou and Malik are powerful beings true, but what if that pure essence of power, the core of the God, falls into mortal hands? They will be slaves to the mortals you cherish."

The ball of light dimmed "It seems I am being to kind" muttered Kami shamefully

"Then fix the wrongs… before you lose the favour of the Lords of nature and they revolt against the mortals" demanded the Forge Spirit. "And Yugi will fight back Kami. With or without your consent"

"I remember" said the Goddess, the ball of light glowing and pulsing wildly "Thank you… for your help"

The light fluxed and in a flare of head and multicoloured light, the goddess disappeared.

---------------------------Jail----------------------------------------

"You can't do this Kaiba!" Yami thundered slamming his fist against the door as it slammed shut behind the guardsmen that had locked them in again.

Bakura was slamming his shoulder against the door along with him while Marik was prying at the windows.

"Kaiba!" he roared again slamming his fist against the door once more, the skin on his hand splitting with the force.

Bakura noticed his anguish and stopped him before he could hurt himself further dragging him to the bed in the cell and making him sit down.

Yami sighed, the anger leaving him as he tore a strip off of the sheets on the bed and wrapped his hand, Bakura helping tie it off with a firm knot.

"Damn it" Yami muttered in a mantra as he slumped, his head held in his hands.

"Kami" Marik whispered "What have we done?"


	16. Heart to Heart Immortal and Mortal

Disclaimer: Don't own YUGIOH!

Please R&R!

(Sorry everyone! Writer's block hit me. Hope this chapter is satisfactory to you all! Enjoy!)

The workers at the forest were aware of the sudden silence that echoed around them. The wind stopped, tree bark seemed to become a darker shade even as the sun beat down. The trickling of the stream slowed to look like it was stuck in time.

The wind suddenly howled long and loud like a wolf crying to the moon. The skies darkened and the Thunder God roared. Rain started to fall.

Ryou stood on the tops of one of the trees looking down upon the axe men approaching the nearest tree. With a glare he raised his hand and brought it down like the judge would a gravel, deciding the fate of a criminal. The rain drops turned harsh beating down upon the axe and men that aimed at the tree.

The first cries of pain made him softly sneer as the speeding bullets of rain cut through the tender flesh of their hands and seared through the blade of the axe. Blood splattered onto the ground as rain cut holes into hands. The men ran screaming in agony, but Ryou's rain didn't follow.

With a smirk Ryou calmed the rain, and let it soothe the ground and distraught spirits that lingered in the trees. Truthfully he was surprised that no-one had spotted him, he jumped down from the tree. Malik's winds catching him and setting him gently on the ground. Yugi stood leaning on one of his trees his sword strapped to his hip and mask of polished porcelain in place, while he examined a Sakura bloom. Malik sat in the air, legs crossed and his hawk mask neutralising his features.

"Are they gone?" Yugi asked his voice holding the tone of a growl. However the smile on his mask, the thin black line that held the most peaceful smile hid the obvious frown that marred the pale features of the Forest Spirit.

"Wounded" Ryou said pulling up his own fish mask and setting it on his head. The two other spirits followed his example "But they will be back…"

"They always come back" Malik said the usual soft glint in his eyes had been hardened in the few hours that they had formulated a plan. "We will lose"

"Eventually" Yugi agreed letting the wayward flower go from where he had caged it between his fingers.

Ryou followed the flower as it was lost in the shadows of the terrified trees that housed old spirits. "You seem to know so much about them Yugi"

The Sakura Spirit offered them a weak smile "I have watched through the eyes of the trees that are in the village. They were the lucky ones that were saved for the pleasure of the mortals. I was curious once or twice as to what they did with their short life span. I was in a medative state during the winter and I was bored.

Malik hummed to himself circling his hand in the air, making a tiny controlled tornado swirl for his amusement, clearing the immediate area of dropped petals and twigs. "Stage two?" he asked smiled devilishly.

Yugi smirked and nodded at the Wind Spirit. Malik grinned in response his eyes narrowing in concentration as the wind picked up.

-Solomon's house-

The old man looked up from his cup of tea to the sky as he sat outside. The sky had turned grey, the perfect day ruined, by man himself.

"They have reaped the whirlwind" he muttered as he made his way back inside. "Makes me sad to be a mortal" he admitted to a sudden tennis ball sized golden light that was hovering just above the plants on his kitchen table

"You understand" said a bell like voice, the ball flashing a soft blushing pink "help me"

"Ahh, my dear" smiled the old man sitting down "you are the ruler of all the Spirits."

The ball flashed a guilty navy blue "you are kind. You understand the crimes your kind has done."

"That I do. Being one to commit some of those crimes in my youth" he said gently "You don't do the Spirit's justice, they are protecting their homes. I do recall legend saying that the Sakura Spirit along with his friends the Wind and Water Spirit's were birthed within that forest. The Water Spirit being born of the Spirit of the Ocean and fashioned from the scales of his companion, one of the dragon kings, Sui Riu. The Wind spirit being born from the great Eagle Spirits, taking on a humanoid form, and the last but not least, The Sakura Spirit, Born of Kami herself."

"My son is angry with me" admitted the ball of light "I have sent his world into ruin. By letting you mortals become so intelligent I have destroyed my dearest child! Only hate will grow in his chest!"

"But you gave him a mortal of his own" Solomon offered

"He has come to learn love and admiration" Kami said proudly her light flaring a bright dazzling gold "Before he was always so lonely… even with Malik and Ryou at his back. He couldn't find it in his heart to care for anything other than the old spirits that have latched onto his trees. And so I gave them the children"

"Who were they?" Solomon asked "Who _are_ Yami, Bakura and Marik"

Kami looked a little ruffled, the evidence in that the ball of light became jagged from the smooth surface of the orb it had been "I took them from people that wouldn't miss them. That had older sons to carry on the generations"

"Stealing children?" the old man asked "That is not something a Goddess does!"

The ball wobbled in the air the tinkle of crystal bells substituting for a normal laugh "you forget your place mortal! I can interfere all I desire!"

"Just so you can bring your son happiness?" Solomon glared

"My son deserves it after all you humans have been putting him through!" ranted the ball of light glowing red in anger. "Cutting down his trees that he nurtured from saplings! The boy even asked if he could have a settlement of humans grow up near his forest! How foolish I was! How foolish was I to let him have such a dangerous thing! Just so he could stand tall in the older Spirit's eyes and say 'My mother trusts me, she gave me her precious mortals to watch over'. Do you know how hard it is?" she finally shrieked the ball of light fluxing to the intensity of the sun a deep crimson red "Do you know how hard it is to watch your own son, a creature once so innocent and naïve be destroyed by pathetic creatures that only want until there is nothing left to want?"

The old man remained silent before he sighed "Go to your son Kami, Appear before it is too late to save them. The innocent mortals that you gave the Sakura Spirit and his friends, they care. They care with every fibre of their being for the Spirit's that have raised them. In a way they are mortal Guardians of that forest."

"For a mortal you are incredibly perceptive and wise" commented the Goddess "The Forge Spirit urged me to take action against you humans. I needed a mortal's opinion as well. But instead of begging to be saved from the Spirit's wrath, you want a compromise?"

"That I do" Said Solomon getting up and putting his cup in the sink "Time runs short. The mortal Guardians will lose their memories in just under 24 hours now. You must be the one to decide Kami. It is either the Immortals or the mortals. The only question is… which side are you going to pick?"


	17. Heart to Heart Mother and Son

Diclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R!

(Enjoy!)

-Jail-

Yami heard the wind and rain beat and thrash against the foundations of the building. Malik and Ryou were enraged. The high keen of wind as it managed to slip through a crack in the mortar made the three boys shiver as the Thunder God snarled and raged. Rain fell harsh and slanted as if the clouds couldn't wait to unload their cargo of tinted rain.

"Ha!" smirked Bakura as he watched many villagers trying to escape the harsh rain brought over the village by Malik's harsh winds. "Seems we were wrong that Ryou, Malik and Yugi were too soft to fight back, not that those swords and daggers were for show anyway"

Yami smiled as he relaxed against the wall of the cell, the day really had gone to the dogs, he decided.

The door banged open and an enraged Kaiba, trailed by his lap dog guards stormed into the room. "What is going on?" he snarled grabbing the front of Yami's shirt and lifting him off of the floor.

"What did you expect Kaiba?" Yami snarled back "An invitation into the forest?"

Kaiba let him drop back to the ground and snapped his fingers at the guards as he turned and left the cell. "We'll see"

The guardsmen closed in.

-Sakura Forest-

The storm hadn't touched the inner reaches of the Sakura Forest. It was dull true because of the dark, almost black thunder clouds that crossed the sky at a snail's pace to take their turn to torment the villagers .Using his connection to the trees Yugi watched the storm as it wreaked havoc upon the village, coldly watching as a family cowered away from the beating rain and thrashing winds. He opened his eyes and rose from his medative pose on one of the Mother Tree's branches.

Out of the corner of his eye he spied a bright golden light. "Mother" he said softly inclining his head.

The ball of light stopped before him "My son" came Kami's voice unusually timid. "You have grown"

"As do most children when left on their own" said Yugi not bothering to look at the bobbing all of light as he made a point of watching the storm that danced just beyond his forest. Ryou and Malik having gone closer to the chaos either to give Yugi and his mother some space or just be as close as they were allowed to the storm that battered the village to entertain themselves while the Goddess had a rare moment of privacy with her son.

"Can you forgive me?" Kami asked softly the ball wobbling closer to the Sakura Spirit, the gentle golden rays warming Yugi's skin as he removed his mask. "For this foolish mistake?"

Yugi grasped his mask and examined the ancient porcelain crafted and decorated by his mother for him when he was but a sprite. "I am a being who must be gentle but I have the right to defend my forest Mother."

"As a Spirit should" approved Kami gently. An awkward moment of silence came between them; Kami silently pondered the reasons for her sons distance. They used to be close, she fondly thought back to the time where she was crafting him. She built the Mother Tree and from its core built herself a son, she would coo at the model as she fished around for the perfect eyes and picking out the finest amethysts that the Stone Spirit's had to offer.

Unusually, unlike what mortals thought, Spirit's actually grew up from childhood. Like Kami herself did with the Gods of different countries. She sighed fondly looking at the proud Spirit she created, that had started out as nothing more than an irresistibly cute toddler.

"What would you do Mother?" asked Yugi breaking her out of her thoughts, the only indication she had been surprised was that the ball of light leapt a foot higher than it had been floating at. "If you loved a mortal?"

"I could not say." Admitted the Goddess mentally frowning at the question. "Why do you ask?"

"Yami is my mortal" Yugi started softly patting the bark of the Mother Tree, a habit he had developed when he was but a toddler and Kami had introduced him to the anchor that would keep him grounded in the mortal realm. "I raised him, mother… Why do I feel like this?"

Kami gave herself a mental slap for not realising sooner. "You have fallen in love" she replied with conviction.

"How?" Yugi asked looking fractionally distressed "You said you made it impossible for Spirits to fall in love with a mortal!"

Kami didn't respond. She had never really cast a spell like that over her Fellow Spirits she had just warned them not to get to close. "You seem to be unaffected by this turn of events" she eventually said carefully, weaving a delicate lie out of the situation.

"It is not that I am disgusted or horrified" Yugi said just as carefully "It will be unbearable when I lose him to the Spirit of Time and Death."

"I could pull a few strings in your favour" Kami suggested, pretending to be oblivious to the expression her beloved son now watched her with. He looked so young and hopeful. "After all, the Spirit council has been nagging me for a few more Night and Mischief Spirits. Despite my benevolent streak I do need a _bit_ of entertainment."

The rich sound of her child's laugh, made the orb swell with light, the tinkling of bells echoing around the mother and son as they shared a moment of laughter. "Marik and Bakura would fit in well" Yugi commented with a soft smile "and Yami has the right name for a Night Spirit"

Kami hummed to herself "Let me dicuss it with the council first, my son. I will return soon"

Yugi grinned at his mother, before he knelt on the branch, his fist clenched across his heart in a sign of respect "Thank you, mother"

The ball of light flared gold for a minute before imploding in a shower of gold sparks, signalling that the Goddess had left the mortal realm.

Yugi smiled and turned back to watch the storm which had unexpectedly stopped.

"Yugi!" Malik's cry made his head snap to watch him as he sped towards them landing on the branch beside him with a grand flourish of wind, the hawk mask removed and clasped in his hand. "We have a really big problem!"

Yugi nodded clipping on his mask as Malik put his back in place, both dematerialising and re-materialising as they ran towards where Malik had left Ryou.

"Ryou" Yugi acknowledged as he skidded to a stop beside the Water Spirit after scaling one of the Sakura Trees beside the village. "What's going on?"

"We had to stop the storm" Ryou said with a growl as he cast out his hand to point at some mortals that were making their way towards them. "Because of that"

Yugi's eyes widened in horror, between the men that were coming towards the forest trailed Yami, Marik and Bakura, their wrists tied behind their backs. Men carrying long metal rods that had wood to grip onto were pointed at their backs.

Malik let loose a shriek of rage that sounded like an eagle's distant cry, the wind around them becoming rough. Ryou growled and thunder rolled in the grey clouds above.

Yugi stood and watched, tense and alert as the group stopped before them, the guards of the man at the front pushing their captives to their knees. "Spirit's of the forest!" came the cry from the man at the front his ice blue eyes scanning the area "Surrender to me now or else these three will die!"


	18. Fate of The Immortal

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R

(Enjoy the chapter!)

Yugi watched from his perch, seething with rage. Trees groaned and the old Spirits within the bark wailed, roots from the Mother Tree reached out underneath the ground gripping hold of the old spirits and gathering them safely within her trunk.

Ryou flinched back as he felt the Spirits that dwelled in the trunks flee to the Mother Tree. It was a precaution that the Mother Tree took when her forest was in danger, and she would be fighting back using the trees that had been nurtured from saplings.

Yugi gripped the Katana hilt and drew his sword, the metal hissing as it scraped the scabbard as it was hauled free. The blade glittered, a faint pink otherworldly glow flashing along the edge as a faint beam of sunlight that peeked through the clouds hit the metal.

Ryou drew his daggers, special straps on the hilts attaching the coral hilts to his clenched fists, Malik notching an arrow to his lethal bow and aiming on one of the Guardsmen.

"Hold" Yugi said softly whipping his sword out to the side and blocking off Malik's shot.

"What for?" the Wind Spirit challenged

"We don't know what those sticks do" Ryou said softly "for all we know they could kill them, long before we go even near them"

Yugi nodded and locked his gaze onto the nearest Sakura Tree. The wood groaned as roots dragged it through the soil, rocks wailing against bark as it inched closer to the spooked humans.

One man looked panicked and aimed the odd metal stick at the moving wood. Yugi's eyes narrowed in frustration as Kaiba knocked the stick away from the man before he could press what Yugi assumed was the trigger to set off the contraption.

With a flick of his wrist the tree moved back into its original position. "Ryou any ideas?" He asked crouching by his friends as they group looked their way.

The Water spirit nodded his head "If we can lure them to the river I might be able to get those fuses wet, then we can get the boys away and take down the intruders.

"Leave it to me!" grinned Malik giving them a thumb up as they leapt away to take their places near the river.

Malik slipped on his hawk mask and cast his hands out in a sweeping gesture the wind immediately swirling to obey attracting the attention of the men below as he hovered in the air, picked up by the gales. He took aim with his taunt bow, and let the arrow loose. The wind created a funnel around the arrow, letting it go faster and spinning the deadly projectile. It hit home in the lead guard's chest felling him with a shocked cry, blood spurting for a dizzying moment before the man hit the forest floor, killed with one swift shot.

The man with the ice blue eyes merely gazed at him making Malik mentally shiver, in his defiance he bellowed "Who dares enter the Sacred Forest?"

"I. Seto Kaiba, who has captured your followers and is offering a peaceful exchange" replied the brown haired man in a monotone. "It is either that or I take what I want by force"

Malik sneered at the mortal "Fine mortal! Come into the forest and see if you can _take_ what you want. But I caution you. We will be watching you!"

Malik span in the air dissolving into a whirlwind and disappearing from site.

Kaiba growled at the cheek of the Wind Spirit, ignoring the fallen man and turning on the men still standing. He came forward and grabbed Yami by the hair and lifted the struggling teen up to eye level, "Where is the Mother Tree?" he practically roared in the teens face.

"Bite me" Yami snarled back, concealing his yelp of pain when Kaiba just let him drop back to the ground.

"Bring them along." The millionaire ordered walking into the threshold of the Forest.

The men scrambled after him, spurred on by their boss's bravery, even after being confronted by the Wind Spirit. Yami, Marik and Bakura being dragged behind by the collars of their shirts.

They came to a small clearing. Yugi stood at the centre, his mask was also in place, shielding a frowning face. "You are trespassing, ."

"This land that your forest grows on belongs to me, Sakura Spirit" said the millionaire calmly not batting an eyelid as the water of the river rose up and formed the Water Spirit who came to stand beside the Forest Spirit, the Wind Spirit appearing in a shriek of wind.

"The earth belongs to no mortal" Snapped back Yugi his recently sheathed sword had his hand wrapped around its hilt, the knuckles of the pale Spirit turning an even more pasty white.

"Uh-huh" Kaiba smiled coldly snapping his fingers.

Yami, Marik and Bakura were shoved to their knees again; the metal sticks pointed at their backs "I need some of your blood Sakura Spirit"

Yugi cocked his head as Ryou and Malik cackled "And you think I will hand over something so sacred, so easily?"

"Mortals aren't allowed to touch the blood of Gods" Malik taunted his expression shielded by his mask.

"it will curse you to wander between life and death for the rest of time" cooed Ryou both Wind and Water Spirits laughed at the stupidity of the request.

"Very well" Kaiba said softly pointing at Yami "Kill him"

The guard struck a match as Yugi drew his sword in apparent defence, lighting the fuse and aiming at the terrified crimson eyed teen.

Yami closed his eyes, tears welling up as he realised that he would never be able to admit his feelings to the immortal that stood not twenty feet away from him. _Yugi… I'm sorry_

A stray petal brushed his cheek making his eyes snap open, a startled gasp erupting from his throat as he twisted to look behind him. Yugi stood tall, sword lancing through the throat of the man that had dared to take aim at his mortal. The metal stick still fused lying a few feet away from where he had batted it away. "Don't touch him" growled the Sakura Spirit, wayward petals swirling around them as he withdrew his sword from the throat of the man and letting him drop.

"Are you alright Yami?" asked Yugi tenderly cutting his bonds and helping the teen up.

"Yugi…I…" Yami stammered

"I won't fail" Kaiba growled grabbing the discarded gun and sweeping it up in an arc just as he pressed the trigger.

Thunder filled the clearing, and a choked cough echoed behind it.


	19. Raging Spirit Spirit vs Spirits

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R!

(Cookies for anybody who can guess the card that Ryou's attack mimics!)

* * *

Yugi stumbled back, his hand flying to his chest. Yami gave a horror filled cry as he fell onto his back in shock as Yugi shoved him out of the way. Everything stopped at the thunderous boom that had erupted from the odd metal rod. Amethyst eyes blinked in shock as he looked to his chest.

His kimono was staining a bright glowing gold, drops fell like rain, bright and shining before falling into the earth. A plant bloomed in the substances place before it immediately died again. Yugi felt his breath hitch awkwardly, it didn't hurt. Why didn't it hurt?

Then the pain nearly made him crumble, it rolled over his senses like a tidal wave making him give a choked cough behind his serene mask. His katana slipped from his grasp, becoming lodged in the soft earth. His legs trembled as they struggled to hold him upright, his hand that had once held his katana twitching in shock.

Behind him the Mother Tree groaned, Sakura petals began to fall from every tree, the groaning of straining wood coming from all trees. The souls of the trees wailed and cried as the Mother Tree turned black like charcoal, its glorious blooms of light pink turning the color of spilt blood.

Almost in a daze Yugi lifted his hand to the top of the porcelain mask, he hesitated a moment before the whisperings of the forest became too much. The trees cried and moaned for revenge, who was he to deny them? He brought his hand down.

The white mask slowly turned ruby red, the serene smile that was painted in black turned into the snarling jaws of a demon. The fangs were the only trace of the white that the mask once was. The black slits where his eyes were, glowed a bright neon violet. He reached down and grasped the hilt of his fallen sword taking it from the earth.

Crimson petals floated down from the Mother Tree and swirled around the blade, shielding it from the group's eyes. The petals exploded outwards revealing the new sword. It was a jagged katana. The blade had several nasty looking projections off of the main sawed blade and the hilt curled around Yugi's hand.

The Sakura Spirit let loose a shriek that sent many of Kaiba's guardsmen running, only to be grabbed and impaled by the roots of trees that had lanced up in response to the Sakura's rage.

Ryou and Malik tensed; never before had they witnessed the rage of the Sakura Spirit. The Water Spirit quickly made a shield of water as a storm of speeding red Sakura petals erupted out of the sleeve of Yugi's kimono, that was slowly dyeing the same black of the Mother tree, the embroidery turning to blood red. The petals had become sharp, Malik noted as he watched several more guardsmen cut down by the storm of once harmless petals, the bodies being shrouded in crimson before the petals floated away again leaving a mutilated corpse. If commanded at the right speed, the softest thing could be turned into a blade.

Soon only Yami, Marik, Bakura, their captors and Kaiba stood before the demonic Sakura spirit.

Even the millionaire looked put off by the snarls that echoed out from behind the once beautiful mask. "It's said that the blood of the Sakura spirit will give man eternal life." Kaiba said watching the glowing gold blood of the Sakura Spirit dripped onto the ground, growing then killing the plant life that bloomed where the blood fell.

Yami ceased his struggles as he was shoved forward by the terrified guardsman. Yugi snarled at him as he went to approach. He paused halfway, nervously looking to Ryou and Malik who shook their heads behind the protective wall of water, warning him not to approach the wounded Immortal.

He looked to Yugi and shivered, the demonic spirit was staring at him, the glowing violet slits becoming more prominent the closer he ventured.

_The nature of a Spirit is to remain peaceful, Yami,_ Yugi's voice echoed in his mind suddenly _we as guardians of the forest cannot freely lash out in anger or pain. We must lock these feelings away, until they are needed to protect the people we care about. The only way for a Spirit to come back to its non vengeful ways is to be kissed by the one their soul is bonded to. Either that or you have to get another Immortal to kill them, in order for them to return to the Spiritual Plane where Kami rules. It is like being reborn for us; we won't remember anything from the last few days before we were 'killed'. _

Yami cringed back as he edged towards his friends, reaching down slowly to un-tie Bakura and Marik's hands. "Don't move fast" he muttered as he inched towards the anxious Water and Wind Spirits, wearily watching the demon Sakura Spirit who was studying the form of one of the Guardsmen that had been smothered and cut up by his petals that hung like an ominous crimson cloud circling above the clearing. "Or he'll get us"

Kaiba glowered darkly as Yami shuffled towards him "follow me if you want to live."

The millionaire didn't reply merely offered him a scowl as Yami shrugged and inched towards the Water and Wind Spirit who dragged them behind the defensive wall of water as soon as they were in reach.

"Get to the Village" Ryou said as Malik watched the demonic Spirit wearily "We have to distract him until Kami returns."

"What?" asked Bakura incredulously "You mean the head Goddess is coming here?"

"Yugi is her son" Malik said as glowing violet eyes trained on the millionaire that stood a little away from him, he drew his bow and notched and arrow. "Now run!" he thundered letting a violent wind rush towards the demon Sakura Spirit.

Ryou nodded spreading his arms, a jar forming in front of him; he picked up the jar and poured the water within onto the ground. Malik growled as a shield of blood red petals protected Yugi from his attack.

The shield broke apart and the storm of petals rushed towards him, Malik span on his heel disappearing in a hasty whirlwind as the lethal storm rushed past, reappearing in a flourish of wind on the rocky ledge just across the river.

Ryou grit his teeth as his eyes glowed blue, the endless water that poured from the jar began to twist and turn and finally water dragons leapt forth from the stream. "Forgive me Yugi" he muttered as the Sakura Spirit faced the onslaught head on.

The dragons combined into one giant creature that crashed into the metal of the Sakura Spirit's sword splitting around it only to form again behind him. It gave a screech and brought its head down dowsing the demonized Spirit in a whirlpool of water.

Yami stood shaking, as the whirlpool broke apart a cocoon of ruby Sakura petals swirling around the spirit within bursting apart and rushing at the Water Spirit that dissolved into water and materialised on the surface of the river.

"Yami!" cried Marik dragging him a little away so that they were out of the battling Sakura Spirit's range. "You heard Ryou! Let's get going!"

"What's the point?" Yami said his heart breaking as even Kaiba made a getaway towards the village. "We're going to forget everything in two hours anyway!"

Bakura stomped over, curling up his fist and punching Yami straight in the jaw. The crimson eyed teen dropped to the ground as Bakura yelled at him "I don't care whether you think if this is pointless or not! We have a duty to the people that raised us to try!"

Yami looked away guilt glowing in his eyes as he stood up. "Alright Bakura" he said finally boldly looking up "Let's get to it!"


	20. Mirror Mirror

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH!

Please R&R!

(Sorry about this chapter being a little short, but I wanted to give Yugi's perspective on the whole demonising thing. Oh! and the card that Ryou's attacked mimicked was Water Omotics, not the most famous card out there but it is still good! anyway enjoy the chapter and thank you to everybody who has reviewed this story so far!)

* * *

Yugi floated between worlds, his heart hurt. He opened his eyes in the blinding whiteness only to slam the lids shut again as it burned his retinas. He simmered slightly in anger, he was a Forest God, he should be able to look into the light and not turn blind.

"Heh, stupid" snorted a voice that seemed to be a twisted version of his own. "You are the Sakura Spirit you draw energy from the sun, from light. Do the same here and you will see…"

Yugi shrugged to himself and concentrated; his body filling with the lights energy. His eyes snapped open and he nearly stumbled over backwards in his surprise. It was a blank room with soft beige walls, and a mirror stood at its centre.

The mirror revealed him standing in an almost cocky stance, designs of neon violet triangles pointing down from the base of his eyes, a ruby demonic mask clipped on its belt where a jagged katana hung. His hands flew to the mask at his side in alarm, sighing in relief when he saw that his mask was a pure almost glowing white, the black design marring the surface. His usual sword was also intact. He also noticed that the mirror version of himself wore a black kimono with red designs, while his was pink with embroidery of the finest gold. "Who are you?" he demanded angrily

"You" said the mirror version cocking its head, tattooed neon violet triangles pointing downwards to the centre of his cheeks crinkling a little as it smiled

Yugi eyed the mirror version of himself up and down "I don't look like that"

"You do in the outside world" retorted the mirror image gleefully rocking on its heels "I am the rage, the killer's instinct. I am the Fury."

Yugi glared as he felt the stickiness of his kimono over his shoulder, perilously close to his heart. He looked down and his breath hitched in shock. He brought up his hand to the wound that bled, his fingers coming away coated with the immortal's life-force. The shiny gold substance made him wince. The Blood of the Gods was sacred. Who would even dare?

"Some millionaire" supplied the demonic version crossing his arms over his chest a dangerous smile overcoming his features which Yugi noted were much more feline-like when lips parted a little to reveal sharp fangs.

"You can read my mind?" Yugi asked clearly intrigued, the only person that had ever been able to do that had been his mother as his mental defences were so high.

"I am you, remember?" the image snapped back in a clipped voice. "We share the same mind and abilities…"

"But we are of different natures." Yugi finished for him "What do I call you?"

"As I said, I am the rage and the killer's instinct." Said the demon image clearly put off at the fact that he had to repeat himself.

"Fury" Yugi nodded slowly voicing the name almost nervously. "Why are you in the mirror if you are me?"

"I would concentrate more on why you haven't collapsed from blood loss" remarked the newly dubbed Fury smugly

"This is insane" Yugi muttered "I'm having an argument with myself"

The Demonic Version cackled "Fine, I will tell you. It is not I that is behind the mirror."

Yugi cocked his head in confusion "What?"

"I said that you look like me on the mortal plane. Tell me Sakura Spirit, son of Kami, how could I be on the mortal plane when I am stuck behind the mirror?"

Yugi's eyes widened "You mean… I am the one trapped?"

"Bingo!" sneered the Fury amethyst eyes glittering with malicious glee "When that millionaire shot us, I was able to switch our roles. The malice and contempt humans have is concentrated into that ball of iron lodged firmly in your chest. It taints you just as it taints everybody and everything you have come into contact with."

Yugi shuddered in silent horror, his hand flying to his chest covering the wound. "You mean I'll end up like you?"

"You are me" snickered Fury "I have merely locked you here until it is complete"

"What is complete?" Yugi asked his eyes narrowing in anger.

"Can't you feel it?" the mirror image asked "The slow burn that rips at your heart? It is the iron ball that is turning you into me, instead of me turning into you as it usually is, you are becoming the Demon. Soon you will no longer exist, and I will rule"

Yugi looked down and let a strangled sob escape his throat, the bottom of his kimono was starting to turn black, and ruby embroidery snaked up lines of gold.

"Tick-tock, tick-tock" cooed the Demonic image as it gradually faded from the mirror to leave Yugi's reflection as it slowly began to change. Half of the demons face was still visible as it grinned maliciously "Time is running out."

Yugi screamed.


	21. Raging Spirit Spirit Plane

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH!

Please R&R!

(please forgive any spelling mistakes and I hope you enjoy the chapter!)

* * *

Kami floated in the mystic plane, several other formidable presences flowing past her like great whales, breaking the surface of an energy stream only dive back into the depths again. Several younger energy spectres jumped joyfully like dolphins between energy streams as a gargantuan spectre squeezed through a shallower energy stream, rough dorsal fin-like projections coming from its sides and back lancing through the energy stream and into the mystic air before a deeper part swallowed up the creature.

A spectre in the shape of an eagle soared towards her and in a flash of silver light became a man. "Kami" he bowed lowly casting sharp brown eyes to the ground "The energy streams are running normally"

"As I see" Kami said softly her voice giving the hint of a smile as she spotted another spectre dance between streams of energy and merge with another. "It is good to see everything in working order."

The male spirit shifted nervously "And what of Yugi?"

"I am here to get some things then I will be returning to the mortal plane." Kami said as she floated off between the giant floating rivers of energy and their inhibitors, ignoring the enqiury about her son. The eagle spirit gave a frustrated sigh and followed her, dodging a spectre that leapt out of an upwards flowing river and dived into a downwards waterfall

"Why do we always meet here?" he huffed as he caught up with her, he small floating form waiting by a grand door that towered endlessly upwards, beyond a hundred feet the view was obstructed by a large floating energy stream.

"It is where I can think" Kami replied as he pushed open a smaller, more practical door engraved into the door. "The energy flow twists under my domain and the spectres don't bother anybody unless you intend to tamper with the life energy. The giant whale spectres clean out any residue negative energy the smaller ones create so it is a place where I don't really need to do anything."

They wandered through the door and came into a large library. "These shelves go on forever" muttered the eagle spirit

"They record every detail of my creation's lives" Kami cooed proudly the ball of light flaring wildly, the goddess clearly forgetting that the mystical plane amplified the brightness several times, nearly blinding the eagle spirit. "And the lives of my Spirit's too."

The Spirit looked about and true to Kami's words, books randomly floated around. Some were open and writing flooding the pages in hurried scrawls that came from a quill, others were closed and being chased about the room by ornate quills high above them while a quite few were sitting silently on the shelves, looking dusty and worn with rusty looking quills that were plugged into the front of the shelf right under the respective book.

Kami floated over to a brighter looking section where a pink book with gold Sakura petal markings hovered in it's own space away from everything else. "My son" Kami offered to the Eagle Spirit as he watched the ornate solid gold quill write in bold curling Japanese across glowing white pages.

The Eagle Spirit gave a surprised squeak as a book zoomed by him and a quill following after it like a dart. The Goddess chuckled and floated off into a door that had no door but a curtain of ivy that parted for her, the spirit ducking in behind her into the white walled room, neither noticing the way Yugi's life book turning a black with ruby replacing the gold, the quill shuddering and turning a glittering silver as it continued to write.

"Now" Kami cheerfully cooed as the book of spirits opened for her. "If you don't mind, my friend, do tell the council I have solved their problem for getting a Night and two Mischief Spirit's for them."

"You're giving Yugi and his friend's mortals the jobs aren't you?" the male eagle spirit sighed shaking his head. "Makes sense I suppose."

"I didn't ask for your opinion messenger" snapped Kami as a quill of diamond touched the page and liquid obsidian poured forth from the tip and spelled out Yami's name across the top of a blank page and the words Night Spirit getting printed right under it. The page flicked over and wrote Bakura's name followed by Marik's on fresh pages and stating their new occupations.

The Goddess giggled and the eagle spirit clenched his eyes shut as multicoloured light poured forth from the pages mixed with towering shadow that twisted and curled like a tortured serpent as it condensed into a complex metal gauntlet, with a polished ruby that was inlaid where the back of the hand would rest.

"A Shadow gauntlet" She said proudly as it floated to her and became enveloped in her light and disappearing.

"What do the new Mischief Spirit's get when you go to bless them with immortality?" asked the messenger spirit, cracking open an eye once the light from the book died down and it thudded shut.

"Their senses will be heightened, and they can become invisible for short periods of time." Replied the goddess and she floated back over to where he had settled against the wall. "Go tell the council, I have work to do"

The eagle Spirit sighed as the Goddess flared brilliantly before she disappeared in a shower of golden sparks.

"Always leaves me the dirty work" he muttered as he glowed a godly silver before an albino eagle appeared in his place before taking off, dodging flying books as he soared upwards to the council room that reigned high above the towering halls of the Life Library.

-Solomon's Garden-

"Get over!" snapped Yami as he shoved Marik over the wall, an undignified yelp coming from the blond as he hit the grass. "You'd better catch me Marik!" he called over the wall as he and Bakura scaled it's side

"Ha! After that stunt?" came the sarcastic retort. "Not a chance!"

"Hope springs eternal" Yami muttered as he finally vaulted over the wall, just getting missed by a rouge demonic tree root. To his surprise he landed on something soft that gave a groan as he got up.

"Thanks Marik" he grinned as the glaring blond heaved himself into a sitting position as Bakura jumped down beside him.

"Gods that was insane" the albino gasped leaning on his knees as the tree roots snapped at the air just above the wall, but never coming over. "Even the trees are going nuts!"

"Then why are we still standing here?" Yami asked nervously looking at the dying Sakura Tree that was still slumped over the water of the Koi pond, it too had turned black with blood red petals, but it didn't attack.

"Because that tree is nearly dead" came the voice of Solomon from the bridge startling them.

"Solomon" Yami greeted as they ran over "Do you have any idea how to reverse this?"

"All the Legends I have been told and have taught have never mentioned anything like this." Solomon sighed as he shook his head "Only Kami can provide an answer."

"Oh and believe me, I want them just as much as you do" came an enraged thunderous gong like sound as the goddess appeared in a giant flash of multicoloured light.


	22. Raging Spirit destiny awaits

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH!

Please R&R

(Sorry about not updating sooner. I was swamped with college work and some personal issues. thankfully all issues are cleared up so I'm back on the Fanfiction scene! anyway hope you enjoy the chapter!)

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Kami boiled as she felt the explosive spirit energy seeping from the forest just beyond the walls of Solomon's garden "What has happened here?" she almost shrieked the ball of light becoming jagged and glowing a demonic ruby red.

The humans that her son and his friends had raised winced and cringed back from her as she let loose dazzling heat and light in her fit of anger.

"Somebody by the name of Seto Kaiba has doomed us all" muttered Marik nervously "He shot Yugi."

A deep growl erupted from the shuddering ball of light as it hovered at eye level. The sky darkened and lightening crackled, the water in the pond became unsettled shuddering at the edges as the centre became a whirlpool, the fish in the pond glowing an array of colours before sea monsters rose from the pond curling about each other with twisting and snapping jaws and limbs. The walls of the garden cracked and a deep rumble on the ground made the mortals stumble before the small ball of light that held the heavens in sway.

Yami suddenly dropped to his knees, his fists clenched in the grass, "Please" he wept as the sea monsters roared and shrieked as they turned on one another, sharp teeth flashing. "Please tell me how to fix this. I don't care what happens! Just help me!"

Kami's light suddenly flared out catching him and his friends in a dome of light. Marik and Bakura cried out as pure white light blinded them.

Yami clenched his eyes shut as blistering heat swept past him, crying out as it constricted around his wrist and palm. He clutched his wrist in agony as he forced his eyes open to see what had hurt him.

He glanced down past the glaring light gasping when he examined his hand. A thick coil of silver metal as wrapped around his arm from the elbow down, his wrist braced by tiny silver bands twisting around each other and a thick branch of silver crawled up his hand to the centre of the back of his hand where an eye-like ruby gleamed.

"The gift that will save him" came a soft voice by his ear and a hand rested on his shoulder. Immediately he glanced to his shoulder quickly averting his gaze when he saw nothing but pure light shaped into slim graceful fingers. "I will tell you what you need to do"

-Sakura forest-

Ryou crouched on the river, holding his left arm tightly to his chest. The result of a lucky shot of Sakura petals, had torn the sleeve of his clothing to shreds and had made little work of his flesh, golden blood dribbled from tiny lacerations as he hid from the Sakura Spirit's gaze.

Malik landed beside him with a soft thud, his bow out with an arrow notched, flinching as the tree beside him groaned and shook, chips of charcoaled bark dropping off the branches and crumbling into ash when they hit the forest floor. They had been forced to the outskirts of the forest where trees were dying before they could attack. "Anything?" He asked softly ripping away the tattered sleeve and creating a makeshift bandage.

Malik shook his head "I saw that Kaiba fellow get back to the village, and a caravan on horseback was coming in at the same time. Everything's gone to hell Ryou"

"What of Yugi?" asked the Water Spirit finally sitting down on the water creating a small ripple.

"He has become grounded" Malik said with a flinch. "He is standing next to the Mother Tree, snarling at anything that draws near. But all in all, we are safe if we don't approach within several hundred meters. The trees around him are still lashing out at anything that moves even other branches."

Ryou felt like crying "And in another hour we will lose Yami, Bakura and Marik to the spell Yugi cast…"

"It has been broken" came a soft chiming voice

Both spirits' heads shot up to look at the softly glowing ball of light that floated a few meters away. "Kami" Ryou breathed with a sigh of relief "What do you mean it's broken?"

"I am more powerful than my son" said the ball of light sounding slightly miffed "it was a simple spell to remove."

"What of the boy's?" asked Malik taking off his mask and resting it on his head slinging his bow over his shoulder and toying with the arrow running his fingers over the star metal edges.

"They are going after the Heaven holder of my son" Kami said cheerfully carefully leaving out the vital information "Then they must break it"

Ryou choked on the air he was in the process of inhaling "Are you mad?" he rasped as he finished coughing. "That could destroy Yugi's very soul!"

"It is my test to them." Kami said calmly "I gave them the orders, I want to see if their love is strong enough. Even though my son has lost his sense of self and has been causing destruction, this is the test of true love. If the boy's love is unconditional and eternal, he will know what to do."

Ryou and Malik growled "And what of ours?"

"They are helping Yami." Assured Kami softly the ball dimming in brightness

"What if Yami destroys the heaven holder?" Ryou asked

"Then I know to wipe this planet clean and start again" Kami said darkly the ball glittering a deep purple

Malik shivered at the tone "What of us, if this all goes wrong?"

"Go back to the Spirit Realm" said the Goddess as the ball of light faded before their eyes "For I will end this world in light."


	23. Raging Spirit Portal Problems

Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R

(#Peeks out from behind fortified wall# Sorry for not updating sooner, I got destracted by another fandom and lost my drive for this fic but I am trying to update my older fics to completion so here's hoping my inspiration will stick! Anyway I hope you all enjoy this next chapter!)

* * *

"And the reason we are back in the village is?" snapped Bakura as he ducked into an alleyway

"Kami mentioned that long before the village came to rest here, there was a gateway to the underworld that led to a cavern under the Mother Tree. I think that's where the Heaven key is being kept." Yami explained as he emerged out of the shadows the ruby on his gauntlet glowing faintly as he used his new powers.

Marik jumped as Yami came to stand next to him "Are you trying to send me to an early death?" he snapped as he flashed invisible in his fright only to re-appear next to Bakura.

"It's called payback" Yami retorted sticking out his tongue childishly "I do recall you scaring me when we were kids all the time."

Bakura ignored his two bickering friends peering around the wall wearily watching a caravan of soldiers, horses and servants trod past their hiding spot. "Disappear!" Bakura hissed as a guard looked back, Yami merged with the shadows on the wall as Bakura and Marik flickered out of existence. The Guard stopped before frowning and shaking his head

"I must need more sleep" sighed the guard before following the main caravan. Marik reappeared first slouching against the wall looking relieved

"Damn it!" Bakura snapped "The closer we get to the Sakura Tree in the park, the more people we run into!"

"That caravan is heading the same way" Yami muttered to himself "Do you think this is the reason why Kaiba was after Yugi, Ryou and Malik?"

"Might be" Marik agreed as they left their hiding place, tailing the large group that villagers parted to let through along the side of the street where they flickered in and out of existence without notice.

"Go ask" Bakura suggested as he noted many people glaring at the large ornate carriage that was being drawn by a set of black horses.

"That won't be necessary boys" said a cheerful voice from behind them making them all jump, spinning around, Bakura drawing his recently re-acquired daggers from the folds of his clothes as Yami crouched down, his hand flying to the hilt of his sword.

"You!" Marik cried out with a dramatic pointing motion "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be teaching kids music or something?"

The Spirit of the Arts merely offered them a dry look before giving an award winning smile "I'm here to help, I heard what happened to poor Yugi-boy from a few of the other Spirits around the village"

"And how, pray tell, can you help us Peggy?" Marik asked suspiciously

"It's Pegasus" corrected the Spirit of the Arts with an annoyed air "I am one of the guardians of the gateway, I make sure no mortals find it, what do you think I was doing working for Kaiba-boy?"

"Pretending to be a creepy butler?" Bakura suggested sarcastically "You played the role so well"

"Creepy Butler?" the Spirit of the Arts nearly shrieked at them in dismay "How am I creepy?"

Yami eyed the man in the red suit up and down then said with no hint of amusement "Do you want a list?"

Pegasus huffed crossing his arms glaring at them from his good eye, his hidden one gleamed oddly "We have no time for this, Kaiba's father is here. You have to leave now or this is going go badly"

"Whoa, slow down Peggy…" Bakura snapped only to be cut off with another hiss from the Spirit of the Arts

"It's Pegasus!"

"Whatever" Marik continued on from Bakura "We need to get to the Sakura Tree. Short cut. Directions. Preferably within the next thirty seconds. Time starting now."

Pegasus gave them a withering stare before striding right past them grabbing both Bakura and Marik's collars "Come along then"

Both boy-turned-Mischief Spirit's instantly kicked up a fuss as they were dragged backwards out of sight down a side street, Yami happily following behind them as they pouted and complained.

Pegasus dumped them at an alleyway entrance looking out onto the Kaiba building veranda, where the carriage was being pulled to a stop. "The man's name is Guzaburo Kaiba, he adopted Seto and his brother after beating them in a game of chess. Man is a slave driver, treats everybody as trash under his heel. The Death Spirit has something special for him when the time comes. Currently he holds Kaiba under his sway thanks to his little brother."

"Nice history lesson" Bakura griped "What are we doing here? We need to get to that Sakura tree"

"It's in the building" Pegasus sighed as if he was talking to a five year old "When this place was built they demolished the park, Sakura trees were still considered sacred and the workers refused to remove it from where it grew, which is right at the centre of the building. It is surrounded by a stone bench in the main foyer, because it is merely a gateway it will not have changed into the demon trees that were attacking you. The fun part is that the portal entrance is actually on the third branch from the top on the trunk and the tree reaches through the roof to the third floor."

"History lesson is valid then" Yami sighed "So what do we do? Wait for them to leave? I for one want this over and done with"

"Well you need help first" Pegasus said sternly "You have to use those new powers in a test run before I let you anywhere near the Portal"

"We don't have time for this!" cried Marik throwing up his hands in aggravation continuing his rant "Yugi will come down like a dragon on a sheep on this place if we don't hurry. Malik and Ryou can only hold out so long against him! And somehow the whole damn place is oblivious to the danger and you want us to try out a few tricks!"

The Spirit of the Arts glared at the blond as Yami watched the carriage door being opened and a tall stern looking man stepped out. He felt evil, the shadows that Yami now controlled writhing and shrieking their delight of the stench of the man's repulsive aura. He scowled crushing his gauntleted fingers into a fist, his power flaring as his shadows urged and begged to feast on man's evil soul. After the man trailed a young boy, his long black hair covering his face as he submissively trotted behind the man like a dog. "I see your point." He interrupted Pegasus' and Marik's glaring contest which Bakura was refereeing, being bias to Marik of course. "We do this in one go" he said crouching down to draw out his plan in the dirt. "Kaiba is an asset we can use to get to the Sakura Gateway, we free his brother; he doesn't blow us to hell with those things that he shot Yugi with."

"What you need?" asked Marik crouching down with Bakura leaning forward excitedly

"What you two specialise in" Yami smirked his ruby eyes glittering "Chaos, Panic and Destruction"


End file.
